Every Christmas they show up at a couple different locations with shoeboxes filled with all sorts of Christmas fun for the kids. Last year, Heart to Heart decided to piggy back on that event and include gift totes for all the moms.
Moms are awesome! Have you ever noticed that they always put their kids first? They will sacrifice at great length to give to their children -- even if it means that they, personally, will go without. Why is that?
Did God inject that special quality
into Eve's DNA when he created woman?
Bonnie and I showed up at Hope Church bright and early. What it treat it was to bring Christmas joy to the inner city of our community. We prayed, packed the vans with tote bags, headed to the local park, and greeted the women as they came out for the morning program with their children. The kids' program was at one end of the park, while the ministry to moms was at the other end.
We started off promptly with light refreshments and Christmas carols. Following that, a dear sister shared her testimony and a brief Christmas message. After a group prayer for salvation, the team ministered one-on-one to all the women wanting prayer. Finally -- when the children received their boxes -- we passed out the tote bags to the moms.My favorite part of the day was when we prayed for people individually. I could have done that all afternoon. God's Spirit was faithfully present to touch people's hearts and lives.
At one point, I looked out into the crowd and asked if anyone else needed prayer. I was surprised that there wasn't a response because, inside me, the Holy Spirit was jumping up and down. I walked throughout the people making eye contact with every woman.
* * *
"Is there anyone here whose kids are struggling with drugs?"
I shouted for all to hear.
"I say that because I was once in that exact same place and
I've seen the power of God break the spirit of addiction
in my own son's life!
I'd like to pray with you personally. Please come and see me."
* * *
Nothing. No one.
How could that be?
It didn't make sense -- not when the Holy Spirit was prompting me so urgently to say those things.
Suddenly one of the gals who was part of the ministry team, came over to me and pulled me aside. I remember thinking to myself... "Oh no, she's going to reprimand me. Perhaps I shouldn't have made that announcement. Maybe she thought it was offensive to people."
Her first words to me were, "What did you just say to those people?" Yikes! I'm in trouble. What could I say? I repeated what I said word for word. Then she did what I never expected. She put her hands on my shoulders, pulled me towards her and looked right in my eyes. "I'm one of those people! I need your prayers!" With that, the Holy Spirit fell. I began to sob as I prayed from the depths of my soul for her daughter who was in desperate need of deliverance. I don't know what everybody else was doing in that moment, but we were having a meeting with God!
Before I knew it, all the bags had been given out and we were packing up the tables and chairs. It was already time to go. Bonnie and I drove off talking to one another about the wonders of God. We had a glorious time!
Now what I didn't know was that she was part of another surprise that was waiting for me at home. As she dropped me off at my house, I invited her to come in for a few minutes. There at the door was a display of wonderfully decorated gifts from my friends at Hope and the Bonfire. Oh my gosh! What an unexpected surprise! All little necessities and niceties wrapped up in bows -- some direct answers to prayer. The thought that they would do that never crossed my mind. While I had been busy about my Father's business, He was working through these ladies to take care of my business.
Awesome!
And of course, amongst it all was a much needed pair of new RED shoes!
THANK YOU dear friends!
Gail
