A Different Kind of Elevator Pitch

The pretty girl, suitcase in hand,  backed herself into the far corner of the elevator. No one looked, No one talked, but I noticed  her tear-filled eyes.

As the elevator descended, tears fell on her cheeks. Her pain-filled face became more anxious with each opening of the elevator door.

My heart ached for her. How could I help this dear child in her trouble? Without another thought I spoke:

"I don't know what is going on in your life, but may I pray for you?" 

"Oh, yes" she whispered.

"Heavenly Father, I don't know what is happening in this dear child's life, but you do. I pray in the Name of Jesus that You  bring her comfort and peace. Lord, please give her wisdom for any decisions she must make. Guide her path and hold her hand. May she know that You love her and You care. Help her through these days I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

"Thank you for praying for me. My fiance got drunk last night and hit me. We've been together eight years. Our wedding is next summer. I'm leaving him and going home to my parents. Thank you for caring and praying. I need it."

"You are doing the right thing. Please be strong and don't go back to an abusive relationship. God has a much better plan for your life. I believe there is a man out there who will love you as you deserve."

And so we went our different ways. Yet, God bound our hearts  together in prayer for a moment in time.  If you think of her, please pray for her.

We live in a world of hurting people. As Christians may we not rush through the busyness of our days wearing blinders to the people God puts in our path who need our love, our care, our prayers.

Be ready. 

Be alert. 

Be looking.

Be a splash of serenity to people God places in your life today.

Dr. King had a Dream. I had a Nightmare.

Dr. King had a dream that changed his life; I had a nightmare that changed mine.

My nightmare was Hell. Literally. Sitting in Heaven upon a puffy cloud surrounded by angels ministering to my every need, I praised God for my plush pad. All was, well--Heaven. Then His Hand tapped me on the shoulder and pointed down. My eyes followed His finger past my Heavenly domain and into a fiery Hell. I saw flames burning people. Their tortured eyes gazed up at me. Looking closer, I gasped, realizing the faces were my relatives, neighbors, and friends all screaming at me the same sentence, "Why didn't you tell me about Jesus? You knew!!! You didn't tell me!"

Life hasn't exactly been the same for me since that dream. My heart burns with passion to tell people about the One who saves us from flames in this world and the next--my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Last week a horrified world watched the nightmare in Haiti. Our hearts hurt, our lips pray, and our check books give to ease the pain. I watched and thought this is only a small clip of the big picture of what Hell is like. Haiti will eventually recover, Hell is eternal.

The horror of Haiti, reminded me of a poem I read in Leslie Vernick's powerful book, "Lord, I Just Want To Be Happy." She quoted it from inside a Covenant House Christmas card:

"On the street I saw a small girl
cold and shivering in a thin dress,
with little hope of a decent meal.
I became angry and said to God:
'Why did you permit this?
Why don't you do
something about it?'

For a while God said nothing.
That night He replied quite suddenly:
'I certainly did something about it--
I made you.'"

God created me to give to the poor, comfort those who mourn, and tell a suffering world there is a Savior. My nightmare has become my dream to do all God made me to do to tell people about the One--Jesus--who rescues people out of the rubble of life.

Dr. King knew what God created Him to do. He had a dream. May all of our dreams come true as we do what God sent us to do. Don't sleep through it--do it!