A touch of Grace & Mercy

I'll call her Stacy. I walked into a room and there she was. A beautiful young girl in her early teens. She looked completely helpless and unattached from reality. In her eyes you could see a deep ocean of pain, distrust, depression, lose of purpose in life and anything else you care to throw in there. She told me she had no friends. That she didn't need any friends...she didn't want them. That she was on probation for having done something 'silly'. She told of a lot more pain and past and while she said she wanted to go on to nursing because she's good with people you could still tell that she didn't trust them. But when asked if she finds it hard to trust people after what her life has held she quickly replied: "Oh I trust people".  As I looked at this young girl the reality of what is considered normal for so many kids today slowly begin to sink in. They survive. Steal & get caught for it & then lie to talk themselves out of it. They try their hardest to cover their pain & their lonesomeness by putting on a fake front that is supposed to appear confident and self sufficient but under it all you can hear them screaming that they want out. They are begging for Truth and real Love. For a touch of Grace & Mercy.

Stacy's mother didn't want her and she decided that she would live with her brother & his wife, some friends of ours who live just minutes away. Several days ago my Mom saw her and couldn't believe how different she looked. In was all over her face. It shone in her eyes and changed her whole appearance. It's called Grace, Forgiveness, Mercy.... it's what happens when a lost heart meets God. It's what happens when a person comes in personal contact with the reality of grace and mercy and they realize what it means for them. I have already been inspired by this young girls passion for truth and for God. Just looking at the situation she came from and thinking about how much she has to learn about living in general could make a person think that she'll never go far. But I can't wait to see what God has in store for her. 

Because....

...Even before we are born God has a beautiful dream for each of our lives. Even YOU. He knows what our future will look like and He wants to lead us through it. He wants us to trade our plan of a future for His. Part of His dream for every one of us is that we would experience and live lives that are marked significantly by the touch of His grace and mercy. That we would allow Him to accomplish His work in our lives. 

Ultimately that our lives would bring Him glory!

"Your life as a Christian should make unbelievers question their disbelief in God."