Shortly after making this decision to praise God intentionally at every opportunity, my husband and I left home today to assist in a prayer rally organized by FGBMFI at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa. It was a wonderful evening filled with plenty of praise, worship, spontaneous dancing, and testimonies. One young girl shared how she and her mother went from the final stages of battling AIDS to complete healing and restored health! God is a healer. There is nothing too hard for Him! Right? So how can I leave an event charged with fresh reminders of God's omnipotence and get discouraged as we return to our car and see the gas tank once again dangerously close to E? Even as Jehovah Jireh echoes fresh in my ears? Well, today I was determined not to live 'as usual'.
Before returning to our SUV to drive home we made a stop at the Hotel's restroom. As I proceeded inside I met a very unwelcome sight. A lady about my age dressed in only a white blouse that barely grazed her thighs, applying heavy makeup at the mirror. I was repulsed at her indecency and angered by her sinful lifestyle. As I entered an empty stall to take advantage of the facilities, God spoke to me that He wanted me to share about God's love to this lady. I wrestled with God for a minute thinking of excuses (language barrier, evil spirits, etc...) until I caught myself starting to sound like Jonah. I realized this was a basic question of obedience. God said 'go', would I dare say 'no'? I remembered that at least until Monday I had committed to praising God. Wasn't sharing about His love a way to bring Him the highest praise, exponential praise???
So, I repented from my critical, self-righteous spirit and asked God to teach me. Teach me to see her like He does. Teach me to reach through the sinful imperfections and truly love, AGAPE. Then I stepped out. Trembling. Doing things out of the ordinary feels like walkin' on water, you can only do it as you keep your eyes on Christ. I went to her and in very quaky french asked if we could talk a minute. Then I poured my heart out to this lady. This stranger. This woman created by God. I told her about God's love. That it wasn't an accident that we met. About my niece and how God's heart ached for her to come home and how God feels the same for her. He is aching for her to come home to Him, to His purposes for her life. I asked if we could pray and she consented blinking back tears as we joined hands. I prayed in English and a little broken French, but I believe Jesus Himself was there praying with us in that hotel bathroom. I gave her our church card and my number to keep in touch, but I do not know where she is right now. I do know that neither one of us left there the same woman. Continuing in praise........
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