Prodigal Medic....

I am constantly amazed at how God uses our brokenness to heal others. there is validation and redemption in this process. This summer, I listened intently to the “Life Signs” part of a week at Woodleaf. Typically, I avoid this. However, this last month, a dear and precious friend of mine was sharing her story. Listening to her as she shared her life as she was in high school, and in speaking more with her, I heard the brokenness and pain inflicted on her as she was growing up. For once, the story penetrated my heart. I’ve had friends share in this way before, but it has never touched me like this. At the same time, I heard other people, some that I’ve known for years, and others that I’ve just met share similar stories of pain, heartache and all the ways they tried to hide this darkness in their hearts. In fact, one of the stories very much paralleled my own. What I saw on the other side of this was the redemption of all of this pain that took place. It was always unlikely, always surprising. It always seemed unreal who would connect with which of the four speakers, and how God’s appointments to speak to high school kids was always fulfilled. As I spoke with my friend, I heard story after story of people seeing God in the lives of those who shared, and in many cases, the lives of everyone who served this summer at Woodleaf, and I’m sure who chose to live lives that demonstrate Jesus to the world through acts of love and service and meeting people in their own context and culture. I pray for more opportunities like this in my life, to deepen the relationships that I have with people who don’t believe in Jesus, and who are outside of the walls of our religious ghettos. I don’t want to miss these rich opportunities and in the in between time, I hope to always share stores with those that are living this in their own day to day lives and being deeply encouraged by them. I’m so thankful for friends that are willing to share these success stories, no matter how intense and in doing so, continue to allow me to work out my own salvation with wonder and amazement.