I Got to Go Back

We were finishing up our trip and stopped to get some ice cream. At the restaurant, my husband and I both took notice of the young girl behind the counter. Her arms bore the scars of days of emotional hurt and loneliness. I have seen scars like this before, but not to this extent. They were marked with pain, sadness, loneliness, self-loathing, depression, loss of hope and death… She had disfigured herself to remind herself of the pain and she had done it over and over and over again.I didn’t know her story… but as we were preparing to pull out of the parking lot, I told my husband that I couldn’t leave. My heart was too hurt to see this beautiful young girl in so much pain and under so much oppression. We sat there and wrestled with what to do next. How were we supposed to approach her with the love of Christ? How was I supposed to show her in just a few minutes how much Jesus loves her and how He has scars himself to prove that love? So, my sweet husband and I prayed and back into the store I went.It seems so simple. Look someone in the eyes and tell them, “God loves you and has a plan for your life.”

She was making sundaes – Adding strawberry topping to someone’s chocolate and vanilla ice cream. So, I waited patiently for her to finish, and I walked up to the counter. “This must seem pretty strange. But, my husband and I were in here a few minutes ago with our kids. We went to leave, and I just couldn’t. We live 2 hours away and my husband had an appointment here in town. I wasn’t supposed to come, but just felt like I was supposed to. I think I came all this way because God wants you to know how much He loves you. He sees you right where you are. Working here at this shop. He has a plan for your life and He wanted to make sure I told you. Here is my email address and name. You can keep it and use it or toss it, but the most important thing you know is that God loves you very much.”

I don’t know what has happened in her life since that day, but I know that I will continue to pray for others to enter her life and wrap her in the love of Jesus.

Because, that’s all there is, folks. The purpose to everything we do. We are to look for the lost, the sick, the broken, and the hurting and share the love of Jesus. I have a feeling the more that I go back, the more God will send me on special assignments like these and the easier this will get.

The truth is, I am just like you, and if I can do it, you can too. He loves you just as much, friends, and so do I.