Thoughts from a Stack of Dirty Dishes

November 2012

God spoke to me while I was doing the dishes after church on Sunday. Not audibly (that’s only happened to me once; when I had “The dream” last December). It’s funny, the things we can hear when we are still. I know my arms were moving, but I was spiritually still. My soul was calm and silent and I heard it. Some call it a conscience; I call it the Holy Spirit.

It was a bit of a revelation….that I already had an inkling about. In “Thoughts from a Can of Spilled Energy Drink”, do you remember how I said I had that screaming fest with God? I had asked Him a question.

“Why do you think I’m capable of doing this? Helping wayward young men? I suck at it and am causing more damage than encouragement”.

You know what His answer was? “You’re right, Grace, you do suck and you can’t do it. Not without me. I’m not going to leave you without answers to your questions. I’m not going to ask of you anything you are incapable of, if you rely on My strength. I’m here for you to vent to. I’m here to listen and support you. I’ll never leave or forsake you”.

We had a great sermon. Luke 7:36-48 Be the church: See through God’s lens of compassion. The main points that hit me were: If I can be forgiven, anyone can (we each feel like we are the worst of the worst) so we need to be overwhelmed His grace and overflow that to others. Thanks Pastor Matt; that is exactly what I needed to hear.

Then, Sunday morning, God proceeded to send me another young man to help. His mom came to me and said “God sent me up to talk to you when I saw you sitting alone”. Her son is struggling with an addiction to an unknown substance. This unfortunately is one of my areas of expertise. I had a cocaine and methamphetamine addiction when I was in my teens and early 20’s. I am also in the process of combating a cigarette addiction. I haven’t had a real one since mid-August….just the e-cig I’m using now. I have been at the bottom. God saved me from destruction, when I got pregnant with my son. My mom says they would have found me dead in a gutter if it wasn’t for me getting pregnant.

So, I grabbed a couple prayer warrior friends and we headed outside to pray together. Prayer is even more powerful when we join together in unity. (Matthew 18:19 &20 says, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”). They were already aware of the situation as well, so I didn’t violate her trust.

The best way I think I can help him is share my testimony. Each one of us who prayed got the same message. So this Sunday, I hope to take him to lunch with my son (whom I believe can also help by sharing his testimony of anger and abandonment issues).

Ok, Lord, guide our words and use us for Your glory. Let him learn from our testimony of Your grace and mercy. Show us how to reveal You in our experiences. Let him see that You are reaching out Your mighty hand to him…..all he has to do is reach up and grab hold of it. Thank You for believing in our ability to help and entrusting us with this mission. Hold us up by Your power.