ann kiemel

Jesus, use me today...

your comments keep coming.
i read every one of them, riveted by
your love and journeys. a thick chord
of rope ties us together. makes us a
family. . . and gives us the Race to run
together.

if you have questions, or something you want
me to write about, let me know in your responses.

i'm driven by a mission to touch the world for Jesus.
this seems so difficult for most people to understand.

every day, in the morning, we earnestly ask the Lord
to put people right in front of our faces. from no where.
the bank teller. a woman in the grocery store who needs
something. the gas station attendant. we don't have to
go looking for people. God does that. and we don't have
to always speak about Jesus because we are, with everyone
we connect to, building a wall or a bridge. well, i'm out
to build bridges. . . not walls. . . and sometimes, building takes
time.

i was sitting in the lab at the doctor's office when a beautiful,
young hispanic woman walked in with her little (4 yrs. old)
son. she looked at me with a desperate, scattered glance.
i immediately got it. they were going to draw blood from
the child, and she was worried over how he would get through
this. suddenly, his name was called, and i nodded to his mother
that i was praying; covering her back. within minutes, my name
was called. there were little rooms divided by drapes.

suddenly, i heard this little boy screaming. in terror. in pain.
sobbing endlessly. i was praying. they were now drawing my
blood and i'm not very enthusiastic either because i have very
little veins that wiggle and move. i was on my way out of
this office when i suddenly stopped. i had noticed that the
little boy was still in the room. i looked in my purse. i found
a $5 bill. turned around. went back to the child's little room.
his face covered with tears. hiccuping sobs.

i walked in. smiling. i took his little hand in mine. put the
$5 bill in his palm, and folded his fingers around it.

"this is for you because you have been such a brave
little boy today. it took so much courage, and i'm proud
of you. this money is for you to go and buy ice cream, or
anything else you want!" i hugged him.

he looked up and smiled.
"thank you."
his mother and grandmother stood. smiling.
and i walked out of the big building of offices.
heading for my car. my eyes were shining. the
breeze warmed my face. i was no one. just one, ordinary
person in the world. but everything was changed.
i had loved a little boy like Jesus would. He and i and
love, changing the world together.

"come walk with me. . . through field and forest. . .
come climb the hills, and hear that song. for even
hills cannot be silent. they just can't help it. God
gives a song..."

for you. for me. for any and everyone.
try praying this prayer today:
"Jesus, please put someone in my path today
that i can love for you..."