Meet the Unforgettable Lorraine

"It's broke! What am I going to do now! He threw me out onto the street!' Her voice echoed loudly throughout the store. We stopped in our tracks to see what was happening. Every person in the surrounding aisles were also staring. I looked at my husband and said, "Go help her." "Look, the manager already is," he replied in relief.

The store manager had finally made his way toward her. "Can you fix it? That stupid man broke it!" She continued to yell. Her voice defied her appearance. She was frail, gray haired and leaning on her walker...reaching toward a strap that was flapping on the ground. The manager calmly bent down to put it into place only to flinch as she screamed in his ear, "That's not right…it doesn't go like that! What's the matter with you...are you stupid?" We continued to watch as he tried to help her, only to be met with anger and ridicule. 

Everyone went back to their shopping, satisfying their curiosity with the obvious conclusion that she was crazy. But I was transfixed, my heart was being pulled to do something to help her. We got in line to pay. The store manager quickly got on the phone as she yelled to him, "Make sure you get one that takes credit cards so they don't throw me out onto the street again!" She sat down, sharing a bench with an over-sized stuffed bear, leaning her head on it in exhaustion as she waited.

I asked my husband to go give her cash for the cab. He said, "I don't have any." I was trying to get him to meet her need when the Lord had clearly put her on my heart and was prompting me to act. The people in line were laughing at her and said to the manager,"We'll go throw her out of the store for you."

I cautiously made my way to where she sat and quietly asked, "Are you okay?" "NO I'M NOT OKAY!" she screamed. Then continued on loudly…"I'm 88 years old, and was recently released from the hospital. I'm being kept alive by fusions." She then began to scream at the top of her lungs again, "AND THAT IDIOT CAB DRIVER THREW ME OUT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE CASH! HE BROKE MY WALKER TOO! Her eyes piercing with anger as she stared at me. Gulp. I wanted to pray with her but was afraid. I took a deep breathe and boldly said, "Can I pray for you?" She snapped, "Go ahead, but do it at home. God's forgotten about me, just like my kids and everyone else. My past three husbands all died. I'm alone!"

Just then my husband said, "Can we give you a ride?" Whew…I'm sure he took pity on not only her but me too. She seemed surprised and said yes. She began to angrily yell about the cab driver again. We loaded her into the car while she shouted at my husband the whole time. She gave us directions…screaming at him as we drove, "That's not the right way! There's too much traffic that way! What are you stupid or something?" She continued to repeat the cab story. It was obvious she had Dementia or Alzheimer's.  

He patiently drove and as we approached her home, he prayed for her in the car...out loud...despite her request to pray to ourselves. After we prayed, she changed.  Immediately. She softened. She apologized saying, "I'm sorry, I'm not normally like this. I'm tired and need my medicine." I helped her as she struggled to get out of the car. She wearily said, "God has forgotten about me." 
I stopped, looking directly at her and said, "He hasn't forgotten you Lorraine. He prompted us to step in and help you tonight."

My husband said, "Can we come visit you Lorraine?" Her eyes lit up, "Oh, yes please!" She gave us her number as we walked her to the entrance of the senior citizen apartment complex. We hugged her. As we walked away, she smiled and waved shouting, "Don't forget about me!" 

Hope.

Jesus' love breaking through. An offer to the hopeless, heartbroken, lonely and sick. A simple offer and yet it was huge to her.

Jesus wants to use you every day. He puts opportunities directly in your path and asks you to share the gift that He so freely gave to you. Hope. Faith. Love. Forgiveness. Grace. Mercy. Let your actions shine through the darkness. Spend time in His Word and in Prayer. Allow His love to shine through you. BE AVAILABLE. Share love with those who are hard to love. Jesus in you, the hope of glory. 

 "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." Luke 6:32

GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW…

 
God wants you to know…

"My Presence is more than enough. Allow Me to seep into your whole being. I will fill you up. I will carry you through. I will anoint you to do My will, as you listen to Me, as you seek Me, as you enjoy My Love and Presence in your life. I Am more than enough. Return to Me and I will return to you (read Zechariah 1:3). I Am your Father and you are my child. Let go. Let Me. I Am standing at the crossroads saying, "This is the way…walk in it." (read Jeremiah 6:16). My grace is made perfect in weakness. Surrender yourself completely to Me and watch Me work in your life. I love you with an everlasting love. You are Mine and I Am yours, 

Bask in the glory of My Presence. Hear Me roar. (read Hosea 11:10) Hear Me thunder. (read Job 40:9) Be mindful of Me. Return to Me with childlike faith. I Am more than enough. Allow Me to be your everything...your all...your strength and your guide. I love you! I never leave you. I am right beside you always.

Let My Light fill any darkness. As the sun gives light to the earth, so do I give Light to your soul. Open the door and let me in. I have come to redeem you, to restore you, to make you mine and mine alone. The waves may crash around you but you are safe in My Arms. "…if it were not so, I would have told you." (read John 14:2) 

I Am ALWAYS with you. Do not shrink back. Walk out in complete faith. You are My child and can let go...collapsing into the safety of My Arms. I Am your's and you are Mine." 

"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine." Isaiah 43:1

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." Jeremiah 31:3

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Corinthians 12:9

"Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” John 20:19 

"So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” John 20:21

Feeling Dried Up?

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26

I've been struggling with eye problems & infections for years. My doctor finally figured out that my eyes are so severely dry that while I sleep, as soon as I go into REM (rapid eye movement) while dreaming, my dry eyes scrape against my eyelids and cause severe irritation. 

Last night I experienced one of these episodes. The excruciating pain I felt was like I'd been stabbed in the eye with a sharp object. I instantly awoke and laid there in agony for a few minutes. Due to this ongoing problem I have prescription eye drops always on hand. I quickly grabbed it, put a few drops in my eye and was able to fall back to sleep. I awoke pain free and saved myself hours, days and even weeks of pain.

Your soul can sometimes feel the same way. Life's circumstances may have you dried up. Things seem to scrape and scratch at you daily, irritating and leaving you feeling sick, hurt, isolated and trapped in your present situation. There is medicine for this. Something that you can apply that will have you feeling immediately better...it's God's word, the Holy Bible. The words in God's book are life giving truth, wisdom, comfort, healing, peace and love. It is the one thing that can ease your burdens, and carry you through the day. 

Don't continue to suffer alone. Apply God's life giving medicine for your soul. Open your Bible right now and see what He wants to tell you! Let His unending love for you set you free. He wants to give you life and even more so...LIFE IN ABUNDANCE UNTIL YOU OVERFLOW! 

"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 1:14

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John10:10

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," Ephesians 3:20

Do You Feel Like Your Drowning?

Photo & Story by: Lisa Petrarca

Do you ever find yourself paddling along through life, everything seems to be going nicely, no problems or troubles and then...WHAM...all of a sudden a huge wave comes crashing down on you? It pushes you under, you begin to flip, spin and roll to the bottom. You become disoriented unable to figure out which way to swim. All of a sudden you look for the light. You instinctively know that is the way to safety and the air you so desperately need. 

Frantically you paddle, relief sweeping over you as the light becomes brighter and you release the last bit of air left in your lungs. You know that once you reach the surface, you'll be filled up with new, clean air and safe once again.

Our everyday lives can often feel like we're being hit by a wave and forced under. Do you sometimes find yourself gasping for air as you try to overcome stress, worry, grief, heartache and disappointment?

You need to remember to "swim" toward the light. Don't continue to get tossed, hit, and held down by your troubles. Seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, "the Light." Let Him renew you with His life giving Spirit. Allow yourself to be brought into the safety of His embrace. Allow Him to carry you safely to the shore. He can fill you with a peace beyond your circumstances and give you renewed hope. Ask for help today. If you feel as though you're drowning...PRAY. Tell the Lord what you're feeling and ask for help to get through it. Allow Him into your everyday life. He is only a prayer away. Call out to your Savior...He will help you overcome it. Run towards His Light and allow Jesus Christ to fill your emptiness.  Find everything you've been searching for in Him.

"Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them." Psalm 89:9

^{~JESUS CALMS THE WAVES~ 
"}And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Mark 4:35-41

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

The Man Child

by: Lisa Petrarca

The man stumbled toward me, all of his teeth were missing except a few broken, protruding yellow nubs. He smiled and told me he was on his lunch break. He had just started a job at the theatre down the street. He asked for some coffee to help him "sober up," before he went back so that he wouldn't lose his job.

I ran in the house, grabbed a hot cup of coffee, pushed open the door, and to my surprise, heading towards me was a large group of people from church with their arms full of food.

Spotting the man, they invited him to come and eat lunch with us.

Everyone was so warm and friendly. They ate, talked, laughed and included this man in their lives.

Right before my eyes, the man suddenly became a young child. He began to cry, worrying that he would be fired from his job if he was late getting back. Everyone gathered around to hug this small, scared child. Through his sobs, he told us that he needed this job to help feed his family.

Hearing this, I scooped up the young child in my arms & ran, carrying him, running as fast as I could so he wouldn't be late.

As I woke up, I tried to make sense of this dream. It wasn't until later that day when I spotted a homeless man, hidden from immediate sight, lying between two buildings, that it hit me. Our Heavenly Father sees these hurting, broken people as His children. Children who are in need of unconditional love. When one of His children crosses your path, are you reaching out and showing the love of our Savior Jesus Christ?

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 63:9

Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability, entirely on their own.
2 Corinthians 8:2-3