Yesterday, as I was still pondering the words of 1 Peter 3:15, heart, prepared, answer, ask, reason, gentleness and respect, the phone rang. It was a voice I hadn`t heard in a while but immediately recognized; it was a beautiful friend that I met when I owned and operated Curves. You remember Curves, that wonderful exciting exercise program that you joined for a while!
My friend, I`m got going to share her name, just because I can`t.........she knew from Curves, my involvement in raising funds and awareness for breast cancer. Since our time together at Curves she too has dealt with and lived through her own walk with breast cancer.
She was reaching out for a friend a fellow co-worker that is now facing the same breast cancer journey. She had received a prayer shawl and was calling me to see if I knew where she might buy a prayer shawl for her friend who was going into the hospital tomorrow.
My friend didn`t know this but........I`m involved with our prayer shawl ministry at church, God is so amazing. Just Sunday at church Debbie Gimmy, said to me that she had just finished a prayer shawl. Thank you, God I knew exactly where to turn to fulfill my friends request.
You would think this would be the perfect ending for this conversation, but it only gets better. Knowing my friend`s, mother also from Curves, I respectfully asked about her. She gently shared that she was struggling with her mother`s addiction to alcohol and the effects on her family.
At Curves my friend and I had shared our reasons for concerns about addiction in our own lives. With heart felt love and compassion I shared with my friend that I now celebrated over 4 1/2 years of sobriety from alcohol addiction. Praise God!! I was prepared to share with her my struggles and my success!
She soon shared that she was not only concerned for her mother but also for herself. I was hearing the same words that I had said to myself so many times. It took me years to quit drinking and live a life of total sobriety. I just didn`t know how to do it. Thank you, God!
I confidently assured my friend that she could be released from this bondage of addiction and that I was available and willing to help her in this journey.
We prayed!
Job 33:26-28 He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God`s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state, Then he comes to men and says, "I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved. He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light." Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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