Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Marvelous (10/10/24)
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TITLE: Exceedingly Abundantly | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Martelli
10/16/24 -
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The morning teaching ended, but who was that lady who remained in the corner of the conference room? No one seemed to notice her but me. Her body language suggested that she was afraid. I felt I should comfort her, but then I thought, “What if she thinks I am crazy? What if she won’t talk to me? What if she rejects me?”
With trepidation, which I hoped wasn’t showing, I sat next to her. “Hey, are you ok? Is there something I can get for you? Someone?”
She looked up at me from the blue pillow she had hugged under her chin. She had been crying. “I do not fit in this group or any church.”
“Why is that? Are we scary to you?”
“No, you ladies are good people, and I am not.”
“Why do you say that? Nobody here is better than anyone else.”
“Wrong! You are all better than me. You do not know the terrible things I have done.”
“You can be forgiven and saved, you know. What’s your name?”
“Dana. I do not think Jesus likes people as bad as me.”
“Hi, Dana. I am Liz. Let me tell you about myself. I have been married to Jack for about ten years now. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior shortly after we married, but I did not. I scoffed at everything he said, went out, got drunk and high, and basically deserted him. I even had a boyfriend who would be wild and crazy with me.”
“Really, you did all that? You were a bad person, too.”
“You are right. I was. When the pandemic hit, I got curious because Jack kept telling me how everything happening in the world is foretold in the Bible. So, I started peeking at his old Bible and checking out some books about Bible prophecy. I was convinced but did not want to give up my lifestyle.”
“That is remarkably interesting. Then what happened?”
“A friend of mine, Samantha, told me I could come to Jesus without giving up anything. So, ultimately, I prayed and asked Jesus to come into my life and be my Savior from all that sin and my Lord, Whom I would follow. I made no changes, but Jesus made me into a new creation. I didn’t want to drink, smoke dope, and carouse with men anymore. I wanted my life to be one that pleased Him. But let me repeat, He changed me; I did not do it myself.”
“Wow, I won’t have to change my life? I don’t think I could anyway.”
“Nope.”
“Now that explains a great deal. Do you think He would forgive me for being such a bad person? Did He pay for my sin, too?”
“Absolutely!”
“I want Him. I want Him to come to me, too. How do I ask Him?”
“Just tell him like you are telling me. Ask Him to forgive you and guide you.”
“Ok, here goes: Jesus, you know what I have done, but I want You to forgive me for going the wrong way, messing up my life and the lives of those I love. Please be my Savior. You can have me now. I promise to go with You from now on, amen.”
I got up and pulled Dana up for a great big hug. “We are sisters now,” I told her.
She was crying, but this time, it was because of the newfound joy and peace that flooded her soul.
All the other ladies had gone to the foyer and enjoyed some homemade fudge and coffee. We joined them, and I announced: “We have a new sister here. Her name is Dana, and she just called on the Lord to save her. Hallelujah!”
A time of rejoicing followed, and I think Dana received about 100 hugs. She was no longer alone; she belonged.
Me, well, I was in the clouds with delight. I had led Dana to Jesus! It was the most glorious experience.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ” Ephesians 3:19 (NKJV)
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