ann kiemel

yes, my daddy was a preacher,
and he promised me before i was even
five, that Jesus pays. i wasn't sure what
payment really meant, but i was smart enough
and earnest enough to understand that
if something was ever REALLY important,
this was.

after all,
if i said my prayers and
testified in my little oxford shoes
and bravely stood for prayer when
no one else did, then there should be
some special blessing coming my way.

and then,
i was in junior high
and no one really noticed or liked me
(or jan), and we were lonely, and had
to stand for Jesus when everyone else
was buddhist and hindu. did Jesus honor
those who honored Him?

daddy said yes,
never, ever, ever forget, ann.
following Jesus pays.

and high school came. jan and i
were two caucasions in 4,000 students.
we were sure we were never going
to be significant. they didn't elect us
as songleaders and we ate lunch alone
and everything felt so, so hard.

and one afternoon, jan and i and a
japanese Christian friend met at the
altar of my father's church, and we began
to cry. and sing....a little song i love but don't
know who wrote it:

"it pays to serve Jesus.
it pays every day.
it pays every step of the way.
though the pathway to Glory may sometimes
be drear, you'll be happy each step of the way."

today...or tomorrow...
when your world caves in,
and nothing makes sense,
and pain bleeds from your thoughts and feelings
and losses, and you wonder HOW a God of love
can lead you to this dark place,
still remember, Jesus pays.
He pays every. step. of. the. way!

amen.
amen.