Tuesday, January 8, 2013

waited almost two years for this day

I thought I had written a particular day almost two years ago down in my journal, but it is not in there. However, it is embedded in my mind and my heart so I can't ever forget it. Especially after today. Shortly after I moved downtown to WWGO, I was in Biloxi for work one day having lunch at Lil Rays. I was sitting at a table by myself enjoying a poboy when an older couple came in and sat next to me. They ordered fried pickles. For some reason I asked them if they were good. That sparked a conversation that further confirmed I was not crazy by moving to Congress Street when every day since moving there I thought I was. As we talked I found out the couple lived in Jackson and had a home on the coast as well. She worked part time at the Fairview Inn and had a daughter named Mary that was a prostitute and crack addict in Jackson. I told her that I didn't know Mary but I would look for her. I started praying for Mary that day and just asked Jesus to send her right to us. That he would literally bring her to my door one day. When I got in my car to leave Lil Ray's, I just cried, at how strategic God is. That's not coincidence, that is his perfect plan. He sat down for lunch at the exact place, at the exact time, for a specific reason that day. Today I got to see the other side of that. Sure, over the course of two years I have not prayed for Mary every day, but every time I thought about her mother and how desperate she was for her daughter to walk in freedom, I prayed prayed prayed for her. Several months ago, before I moved to Cohea Street, Mary Ellen appeared at the rooming house behind us. We quickly bonded and became friends. Prayed for her a lot. Over the last month she has gone from singing in the choir at a near by church, back into the darnkess that she was delivered from. Today I was driving circles around Farish Street looking for my friend David, but never saw him. When I got to the corner of Monument and Farish, I saw Mary Ellen walking. She got in the car and I gave her a ride to the end of Capitol Street. We can't save everybody, but we can sure give them a ride somewhere and share truth with them. In the middle of Capitol Street, through the course of our conversation, I realized THIS was the Mary I have been praying for, for TWO years! I had no clue months ago when I met her that Jesus literally did bring her to my door. I mean, WOW. If he can do something small like that, I am going to be shocked with his goodness at the big big big he can do with Mary. That's the king I serve.