January 10, 2012
My old roommate came back yesterday from county. She is in the other dorm now and I haven’t really gotten a chance to talk to her. I’m fighting it cause sometimes it’s just easier to steer clear of people than it is to approach them. “Love them from a distance.” Is that a scripture? Cause it should be. 🙂
But of course it is not a scripture! God does not want me loving them from a distance. He is a personal God and He wants me having personal relationships with His children. How will people know of His love if we’re not sharing it for Him?
Luke 13:34 says, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
So already this morning, God was telling me to go talk to her. Ask her how she used her alone time. Share your blogs with her and let her know you’ve been praying for her.
“But God – I don’t want to share my blogs with her… I called her difficult… and I said she got on my nerves… that would hurt my feelings.”
So I went to our morning prayer group and a girl mentioned that she had just talked to Ashley and she said the first thing she did when she got to county was get a Bible. She said she sounded very calm and humble and that God has her in a good place right now.
I just smiled because I was just trying to figure out how to avoid what God was telling me to do and here He is again – telling me to do it!
I confessed to them what I had been thinking and we prayed for forgiveness and to see people through His eyes and to love people with His heart. And life is just so much better when we do this and don’t allow Satan to fill us with lies that we don’t have to follow God’s leading.
2 Peter 1:7-10 says, “Add to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful… But he who lacks these things is blind and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things you shall never fall.”
We have to love because if we aren’t loving, we are unfruitful. I have been purged of being unloving! That is something from my old life! It’s no longer a part of me! I am glad to hear that she is still drawing close to God. And I do want to be a part of God’s mighty work in her life.
“And we can be confident of this: He which has begun a good work in her will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!” (Phil 1:6) PRAISE GOD!
I do not know Randi personally, being from Scotland, I don’t know many people from the USA. I was introduced to Randi’s blog by Jenny of Addison Road, who had posted of running into her friend whilst doing a show at the prison and posted a link to Randi’s Blog. I started to read the blog and was so touched by the honest ‘musings’ of Randi. It is heartwarming to read of her daily walk with God and her humble (though at times feigned reluctance) to do His will. God certainly has a plan for You though it has taken you through some hardships in life. It is not easy to remain faithful whilst incarcerated, so many obstacles are placed in your path by the ‘enemy’ whilst facing public ridicule at times from others that surround you.
I thank you Randi, for allowing us to share in this very special journey in the work of our Lord, even though there are times when I dare say you probably wish our Lord had chosen someone else for this ministry or at least provided an alternative route.
May God continue to hold you close, may he bless you richly and keep you safe in His arms, and may He continue to draw others close to Him through you and may you continue to be a blessing and comfort to those around you.
Your friend through Christ, David.
Thanks for the comment David! It will mean a lot to Randi – I just passed it on to her. God Bless!