As I took this small flower from her hands, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the new creation that Christ was blooming within her…
She said it was the first flower she had ever crocheted. It was beautiful! She will never know the small token of her handiwork would be the greatest gift I would receive. As I tried to hide the joy overflowing from within I quietly thanked The Father for giving me this moment, this small token as a reminder of HIS handiwork.
Only my God can take shackled hands and rip them free from the enemies hands. Only my God can quiet trembling fingers and teach them to patiently and tenderly slip one stitch into another. Only my God can restore such worth and dignity, reminding us we are children of The King. Only my God can make beauty from ashes.
No doubt she was proud of the work she had done. My heart almost burst as I listened to her share knitting stories with my Emma. These two had something in common… more than they knew. I am grateful the Lord allowed me to see. These two girls. One at the end of a rough and winding road tired and a bit broken; the other eager and itching to begin. Two girls who sat patiently and very young age and wished to create something beautiful with their hands.
I’ve been admiring her little fingers work hard to grasp the right technique since she was seven years old. Emma’s new friend had learned to crochet when she was eleven. It had been a long time since she had worked with her hands in this manner and in little under a week she was creating such beautiful things.
A hundred times or more I have stroked the yarn, counting the stitches. Thanking God for this ONE. For now, it is on our tree, reminding each of us daily that our God is LOVE and His word is everlasting. And I am reminded of the broken, the hopeless and I am joyful that ALL things work together for the glory of God.
I couldn’t help but pour back over the stories from The WellHouse. I thought I would share a little more from my heart, from the beginning…
For some reason, we have always chosen McDonald’s as our meeting place. . . and as I walked through the doors I saw them. . . my new family and a few new faces. We pretty much have a core group and every now and then we get some new help. But something seemed different about these ladies. . .
As I got closer, Tajuan was grinning ear to ear . . . she said she wanted us to meet some pretty special folks. She introduced the three ladies to us and told us there names. . . I was overcome with Pure JOY, the Holy Spirit flooded and filled. Blessed and overtaken with God’s goodness. I just held on to her. I didn’t want to let her go. These were the ladies of The Wellhouse. Their names had always been hush-hush for many reasons. And, I really never even considered getting the opportunity to meet them. Our ministry dealt more with a different part of The Wellhouse, a part that really didn’t get to see the whole picture, just a part of it. . .
My sweet friend said it best when he described our outreach as “going out and plowing the fields”. Every Monday we meet and go into the battlefield, not ever knowing what we face, what will come of these meetings. But last Monday we SAW the fruit!
Her beautiful face, her story. It forever changed me. God had allowed me to see this full circle, His perfection. His power to make ALL things work together for HIS GLORY.
Last Monday was a fruit day!
For all those who have prayed… listened… supported… sacrificed…
Last Monday I was blessed to see the fruit of our labor!
(you can read more of this post here if you like)
Reading over these words again, I am flooded with the mighty name of JESUS! The love that HE lavishes upon me and you. Oh, how HE loves you! How he loves the women and these men.
I am grateful that there was a woman who listened when He called. I am grateful for her obedience. I am grateful that my sweet Lord gives her the strength to share her story OVER and OVER and OVER again for the sake of THE KINGDOM. Bless her!
Still some time to give towards this beautiful ministry. The WellHouse, truly a place of GRACE. Rescuing women off the streets, out of the pits of hell and sharing the LOVE of Jesus with each of them!
My sweet friend that I met that day in McDonald’s… my heart is full when I see her face and the reflection of Christ radiating from within. She is beautiful! And my crochet flower… I pray that she will allow God to weave in and out, knitting together the frayed parts, creating something beautiful. And each time she slips a stitch she will feel His Holy Spirit working in her life.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10
xoxo,
