We can make a difference!

This past Thursday I was afforded a wonderful opportunity. If you read this blog, you will remember that on August 10th, I attended a Beth Moore conference in Atlanta, and posted the Comfort Prayer that I prayed that day. Little did I know or understand, just how far God can move one out of their "comfort" zone.

My normal comfort zone is living in a quite town in the suburbs, taking care of my home and almost grown children, talking to my daddy on the phone daily, volunteering at my church in women's ministry and teaching Bible studies. Out of my normal comfort zone is spending time with a lady who is in the county jail on drug charges.

For months a dear sweet man in my church has been inviting me to go to the local jail with him to visit this gal that he had been ministering to. Because this was way out of my comfort zone, I chose to put him off and give any valid excuse possible. Last Sunday morning, he came by the women's ministry table and said very quietly over the crowd of ladies buying tickets for a luncheon, "she has been sentenced and if you don't come with me to visit her soon, she will be sent off to state prison." Without a thought, I said sure, I will meet you on Thursday morning.

Monday's are spent preparing to teach two different Bible studies on Tuesday.
Tuesday's are spent at the church teaching and organizing women's ministry.
Wednesday's are house cleaning days...................and then came Thursday morning.

I must be honest that Thursday was going to be a busy day with a dinner meeting at the church and I was looking for any excuse possible to NOT go to the jail. But the Holy Spirit really convicted me about the "Comfort Prayer", so I made the call to the minister and prepared to meet him in 2 hours.

During that time, I became somewhat anxious just because I didn't know what to expect. Being the researcher that I am, in between showering, dressing and packing my car to decorate for the dinner-- I went on-line and listened to 2 sermons about sharing the gospel, checked out the Prison Fellowship website on prison ministry, and called a friend for advice who is in prison ministry.

As I jumped in the car to rush off and make the 30 minute trip to the jail, the Holy Spirit impressed something on my heart, "what are you so anxious for, you know that if God is calling you to do something - He will equip you to do what He is calling you to do." For me at that point, this entire exercise was about my OBEDIENCE!

Arriving on time at the jail, I met the pastor who went into the jail with me. There are all kinds of proceedures that you must follow: what to wear, what to lock up, what you may or may not take in with you, etc. I soon realized that I might be a bit over dressed, but God used that in spite of me to witness to two ladies.

Once inside the jail, we made the final check point and walked down the longest, most desolent corridor that I have ever seen. Trying to avoid a wet floor on one side very tightly we made our way to a door that had numbers on it. We took a sharp turn towards the door and opened it to a very sterile room with a glass wall in front of us. I am not sure what I had pictured in my mind before that moment, but the reality of being in an unfamiliar room about to meet a total stranger through a glass wall was very surreal.

Through an intercom we requested the incarserated lady and waited for her to come. After a few moments passed, a door on the floor below us opened and a very nice looking lady came bouncing through the door, looking up with a huge smile on her face. The elderly pastor that I was with said, "there she is" and began waving furiously. As she approached the cubicle, behind the glass wall, I could see the excitement on her face. He took the phone receiver from the wall and said hello to her and then handed me the phone.

About 2 seconds of silence was followed by one of the most humbling statements that anyone has ever spoken to me in all of my life, she said "hey, I have been waiting to meet you for months, I am so glad that you are here." At that moment, nothing else mattered except focusing on the God-given moment that I might have to make a differnce in this little ladies' life.

Normal prison visits are limited to 30 minutes, but for the next 90 minutes we were undisturbed and I listened to her story, and shared the Truth of the scripture with her as honestly and openly as I have ever shared before. She professes to be a believer and desires to overcome the sins of the flesh and spirit in her life. When our time together was done, the blessing was mine! What a morning!

Please don't miss the blessings God has in store for you. If He is calling you out of your comfort zone, it may not be for the benefit of the one to whom you minister, it might just be for your benefit!