Stories


Last summer, I was fortunate enough to get a position as a Direct Skills worker with a local program that advocates for children. I was assigned to work with two teen-aged girls, one 15 and one 16. Mary and Heather were as different as night and day, and it was quite a challenge for me to set up individual programs for these girls. Heather was older and more set in her ways...very angry, very bitter, especially toward the "system" that was in control of her. Mary was younger, and though she had been through much harder times, she was still more innocent in many ways. Both of these girls have affected my life in numerous ways, but there were two incidents, one with each girl, that I would like to share with you.


Some time ago I met a Christian brother online, and was blessed to become friends with him and his family. He was really upset that I was a smoker, and after some time (and many lectures from him), I was convinced that smoking was a sin, and so I asked him to help me to pray to quit. It was wonderful! The Lord lifted the desire for cigarettes from me immediately! It was so cool, and I was witnessing to everyone I met, telling how He had healed me, that I had no desire for nicotine, that I had no withdrawal...I was absolutely and completely free from a habit that had been with me since I was six years old! Forty years of smoking, and suddenly, free!

Five months later, Heather violated her probation, and we had to go into court. I prayed for her before court, but I had never really shared anything about the Lord with her. Because I work for the state, that can be a little touchy, so at that time, I wasn't very bold with these kids. I was grateful to be working with the kids, and didn't want to jeopardize that. Court was long, and I testified for about forty-five minutes in Heather's behalf. I was sure that she was going to get another chance. She had, for the most part, participated with the program that we had set up for her, she was going to school, she was listening to her parents, she was going to therapy...and the parents were there in the courtroom, wanting to take her home. Surely God's plan was not to take this girl from her home!
The judge called us all into chambers...except Heather. She said that she was ordering that Heather be placed in a residential facility for a year.
Because some of her previous charges were of a criminal nature, when Heather was removed from the court room, she was in handcuffs, sobbing uncontrollably.
I left the courtroom, went to the nearest store, and bought a pack of cigarettes.

A few packs later, a few days later, my non-Christian friends wanted to know what happened to my healing.

Well, I'm still smoking. The healing is still there. I just need to receive it again. I've been afraid to even think about quitting again. The Lord healed me once, why would He do it again? I blew it!

Last night, I was listening to Praise In The Night. Steve Solomon said something that made me have to take a new look at this smoking situation... It is my own foolish pride that keeps me from going back to the Lord about this. But that isn't all. I also realize that what I have done is stepped out of His grace. I had nothing to do with that healing...except that I received His grace. In the courtroom, I wasn't thinking about Him, His plan for Rebecca...I was thinking I had failed her. I forgot all about the Lord. I forgot that He is in control. I forgot that He provided the job! I forgot that He is everywhere. I forgot that I am His. I forgot that He wants to pour out His grace on me!

So, thank you, Heather, for making me see that I was walking in deception...that I was taking Him for granted...and that He is always present. I'm the one that turns away. And thank you, Steve, for the word that you had the other night, that shot straight through to my heart. And thank You, Lord...that You love me no matter what.



Around that same time, I was advocate to a girl named Mary. I worked with her for a few months, and then she went to a drug rehab. She was a drug addict, an alcoholic, had tried to commit suicide, self-mutilated, huffed hair spray, cheeked medications, was promiscuous...you name it, she was into it. Especially if it was dangerous.
She got thrown out of the rehab. In fact, she got thrown out of 11 places in 9 month's time. Rehabs, psychiatric hospitals, foster homes, shelters...and if she wasn't thrown out, she ran away within two or three weeks, and they wouldn't take her back.
I got a call back in the beginning of April, telling me she had been thrown out of another rehab, was in a shelter, and would I be her Advocate until she was placed in an out of state residential facility. I said yes, and went to a meeting to develop a program for her.
At the meeting, I asked why she was still in a shelter. The caseworker said there were no beds available for foster care. Since I also do foster care for teens in crisis, and since I knew I had an empty bed, I told them that wasn't true. They said the program I worked with through Mental Health wasn't willing to take her...she was too much of a risk. I said I was willing to take the risk, and that they needed to approach the agency again. They did that, and a few days later called to tell me that Mary would be coming to my house for six to eight weeks. There would be 24 hour a day supervision. There would be therapy every day. There would be NA meetings every day. There would be supervised meetings with her mother once a week for an hour. There would be meetings at my house every week with all involved in this case. There would be no access to razors, scissors, knives, etc. There would be no access to medications of any kind. There would be no aerosol cans. There would be no freedom at all. None. For her, or for me.
Hmmmm...now she's coming, what do I do? Ask for prayer!! Ask for prayer to keep her safe!! So that's what I did, before she came...I asked every Christian I knew to pray that she would be safe! I even e-mailed Praise In The Night. About a week later, PITN was having their fundraiser, and without even thinking or praying about it, I just called and made a pledge. Two nights later, the Lord told me to call and increase the pledge. And so I did.
Mary came to my house on April 22. She made it clear that she was still an atheist, but when new kids come to my house, I always buy them a teen Bible. She accepted it with no problem, and I left it at that.
A few nights later, she was sitting in the living room reading the gospel of John. I said nothing. For once in my life, I kept my mouth shut! I knew that there was nothing I could do to protect this girl...I had to let the Lord be in control.
I kept praying, and asking for prayer, and believing the Lord was going to keep her safe. I knew that Steve Solomon was going to be about 30 miles from my house for meetings in May, and I asked for prayer that she would be open to attending those meetings.

She was doing so well at home that the people who knew her were holding their breath, waiting to see what was going to happen...
When Mary had been at my house about three weeks, she came and sat on the floor by my chair one night and said "I don't know what I believe. There is no way that Jesus could love me, anyway. I have broken every commandment but one...so far, I haven't killed anyone." We talked for a while, and I told her a little about how much Jesus loved her, and that He died for her.

Mary had been with me four weeks by the time the meetings were to be held. I asked her the day of the first meeting if she would go to a revival meeting with me, and she said "Sure"!
Mary had never seen or felt anything like it! That first night, when Steve gave the altar call, Lisa was right up there giving her heart to the Lord!! And two nights later, she was baptized!! I was ecstatic!! Thrilled!! Soooo grateful to Him!! This was so much more than I had ever hoped for! I was walking on air!!! Or should I say...water!!
Praise God, Mary was at my house for nine weeks, with only one minor self-mutilation incident that she was able to stop on her own, and then come and talk to me about it. When the time came for her to leave, we talked for hours into the night, as we listened to PITN. She said she knew it was in her best interests to go to this new placement. She also knew that no matter where she was, God would be with her. I hadn't actually prayed with anyone, except online, in about twenty years. But the morning Mary left, I prayed for her. She was trying to keep a smile on her face, and keep a positive attitude, but as I took her hands, there was so much tension! As I prayed, I could feel her hands relax, feel the tension leave her body, feel every last bit of oppression leave this girl! I knew with no reservation in my heart that the Lord would protect her and guide her, and that she was finally truly safe in His arms!

So, thank you, Mary...for so much! You are so precious...and you will grow to know that!! Because you came to me, I know the difference now between giving up, and surrendering. I am so fortunate that He let you come here! And thank you, Steve, for being so open and bold and faithful to what He has called you to do! And thank You, Lord, for showing me the power of sowing seed, and of prayer!