My husband and I serve in ministry at our city's jail.
One Friday after a chapel service I was led into a women's pod. Usually, I have a reason to enter a pod. Oftentimes during the week, women make a kiosk request for bibles, rosaries, holy cards, daily meditations, etc. and we deliver those items to them. But this particular day, I had nothing to deliver. I was simply led by the Spirit to enter through the heavy steel doors into this pod (F 17) where some of the women live. Inside the large pods are the cells where they sleep.
As I crossed over the threshold of the second set of heavy steel doors, the guard at the front desk said to me, "I am happy to see you!" Such a warm hospitable remark, I thought. We don't always encounter that kind of hospitality inside the pods. I told this female guard who radiated a beautiful smile that I had nothing to deliver but just wanted to come inside and see how things were going. She asked me if I could do a "bible study." I told her I brought no resources to do that. She quickly handed me a book from beneath her desk entitled "Healing Prayer" and encouraged me to use that as a resource. Then she announced to all, "Bible Study!"
My husband and I serve on a healing ministry team so this rather amazed me and seemed perfectly natural.
Within no time ten women gathered in a room inside the pod and we were engaged in our healing prayer session. With only about a half-hour to spend with them, we began going around the large circle and one woman at a time stated their prayer intention(s) and I had the privilege to pray with each one of them and they for one another. It was so beautiful to witness the openness of these women as they shared from the depths of their hearts about their most pressing needs. There were many requests for favor in the court system, for their children, for deliverance from drugs and alcohol. It made my heart sad to know these women were addicted to heroin, meth, and other such destructive substances.
As I gazed into their faces I said to them, "You are beautiful women created in the image and likeness of God and He has so much more for you than you can think or imagine." Tears welled up in my eyes.
It was just a prompting of the Spirit to go into that pod...and look what the Lord had prepared--a healing prayer service for ten women. And I was showered with His love and healing grace too! Glory to God!
No comments:
Post a Comment