The first time I saw her, she was laying in a hospital bed scared to death. She had been in a car accident and was about to undergo an operation to fix her injuries. I walked into her room to pray with her before she left for the holding room and it became very obvious that Someone had been there before me! The Holy Spirit had prepared her heart and she couldn't wait to accept Jesus as her Savior and Lord! All I had to do was tell her how! I'll call her Emily, and I had the great privilege of seeing Emily become a child of the King that day! Over the last several months I've been able to get to know Emily better. One of the very first things I noticed about her is that she never made eye contact, she was very shy, saying very few words and looking down at the floor when spoken to. I wondered why? On the long drives back and forth to her house, her story unfolded. Something about staring at the road ahead as we drove broke down her wall, and she opened up and began to talk. She began to tell me of her traumatic childhood. She told me of the abuse that she had endured as a young child beginning at 4 years of age. She told me about the bloody noses and the hours locked in the bathroom. She told me about her mother who could not protect her for she was abused as well. She told me about being told that she was ugly and worthless and that she was a mistake and should have never been born. She told me that after you hear that long enough, you believe it. That's why Emily never looks up. She doesn't feel worthy enough to.
Several weeks ago, I took Emily to a bible study with me. We sat down in the back and a few minutes later a friend of mine arrived. Emily sat on one side of me and my friend sat on the other. This friend was also born into an abusive home. She was removed from that abusive home, however, and placed in a loving home with Godly parents. She has grown up to be one of the kindest, sweetest, most loving people I know. She is confident. She has a husband and children. She has a successful career. She loves Jesus! As we were sitting there, I felt the Lord impress upon my heart the stark contrast between the two women sitting on either side of me. On one side was Emily, so broken, so lonely, so deeply wounded. No one stepped into Emily's life as a child and rescued her out of the abuse. She carries the scars. And then my friend on the other side, so complete in Christ, so filled with joy, so successful in her marriage, family, and career. Someone somewhere heard Jesus' voice and obeyed. Someone stepped into her life and rescued her out of the abuse and look at the difference it has made for generations!
It is for the little Emily's out there that we are fighting this battle for King's Ranch. God has asked this of us and we want to obey Him. He has asked us to step into the lives of abused and neglected kids and let Him heal them, for only He can!
As for Emily, she is growing in her relationship with Jesus! She is learning that she is a child of the King and she is of GREAT worth to Him. He loved her so very much that He chose to die for her. She is learning that she is complete in Christ. And little by little, He is binding up her broken heart and healing her deepest wounds. She laughs now and there are times I can see joy on her face! We are trusting Him to bring her complete restoration!
These next few weeks are important ones for King's Ranch. We will go before the circuit court on March 25th and 26th to ask again for the permit we need to proceed. Please pray that the permit would be granted, but most of all, pray that the name of Jesus would be lifted high and that He would be glorified!
" I have heard them crying out,...and I am concerned about their suffering,... so I have come down to rescue them." Exodus 3: 7-8
For the One who binds up the broken hearts,
Lee
