Friday, December 07, 2007

You Go, Girl!

My sweet housekeeper, Julia, was telling me a beautiful story today. Her English is not great and my Spanish is not great, but the story is compelling in any language.

Julia is learning how to drive and she was at the grocery store with her 16 year old son. A woman who had been drinking came up to her and asked for a ride. Julia was a bit nervous and asked the lady to wait a moment. Julia turned aside and prayed. Julia really felt the Lord was telling her to give the woman a ride. So, they all get in the car. Julia asked the woman where she needed to go and the woman told her she is homeless. Julia just started telling this woman that she is precious to God. The woman says, "Oh, no. I'm not worth anything. I have no life. There is nothing to live for." Then the woman starts telling Julia about how she doesn't have a life. Evidently this woman has lost everything. A month ago, she really hit bottom. Her son had died and her husband left her for another woman and there was another loved one who had died. So, last month, this woman climbed one of the really tall buildings in downtown and was going to jump. Julia and the other Christians at church that morning all came out to see what was going on. There were ambulances, police, etc and everyone was looking up at this tall building where a woman was trying to commit suicide. So, Julia and all the Christians standing around there were praying for Jesus to comfort this woman and help her not jump. The situation was resolved and the woman did not jump. That was last month. This exact same woman is the one who asked for the ride and is sitting in Julia's back seat. When Julia told her that Jesus would clean her heart out and make it new, this woman's look of wonder was priceless. She was so excited to hear this truth and asked Julia for a bible. Tears were streaming down this poor woman's face at the reality that SomeOne could love her. That was yesterday. It's amazing how God uses us to change others for Him. Julia's face was radiant as she told me this story. You go, Julia!