ann kiemel

it was a large crowd.

a mass of people in a big auditorium.

i spoke a very simple message about Jesus and me

and love.  sharing stories about my neighborhood.

singing little songs.  everything about Jesus. glorifying Him.

oh, i am passionate about all God can do through

ordinary people of strong faith.  

 

Jesus is ALL about love.

the prostitute.  the blind man.  the fishermen.

the gay.  the struggling and broken and all

who cannot see any way out of the holes

they have fallen into.  usually by choice.

 

keep remembering this as i tell you

this story.  God's love can shake a mountain

and deliver people through the red sea.

 

i had signed books for almost two hours

afterward, and was getting weary.  each person

was very significant to me.  my "detail" there to

protect me took each of my arms, and told ALL the

others that i was done for the night.  i kept turning

around and saying, "i'm so sorry.."

 

as we started to turn a corner in the building, i turned

and saw a young woman.  completely gothic.  everything

black.  tattoos as i recall, and piercings.  can't remember

all the details, but she was definitely from a sub-culture.

i was instantly drawn toward her.  she was alone.  apart

from the rest of the book line.  and i knew it had taken ALOT
of courage for her to be standing there.

 

and  hugged her.  i said, "i love you...i really love you.

and so does Jesus."

 

and then, i was out. 

and that was years and years ago.

still single. ALOT of years ago.

 

last year,

i received a letter from this

girl's parents.  they had tried to find

me several years.  they wanted me to know

what had happened to their daughter since that night.

 

within a week, she was signing up for school.

she graduated from college.  married.  became a mother

of four.  and today, is commited to Jesus and working in

their church.

 

beautiful as a towering redwood.

precious as a newborn.

miraculous as crushing goliath

in one breath.  all and only what a

great, magnificent God can do.

the Blood of Jesus. running down

the ridges and alleys of our hearts.

covering and protecting our reckless

behavior, when we get lost.

 

the Blood that never runs dry.