An old, unashamed black woman stands up and grabs the mic during testimony time. She takes her time standing up, too. You don't know what she's been through. Do you think she cares that you're ready to move on with the service? Tired of hearing her overspiritualized, cliche, folkloric platitudes? Sorry.Lady: Praise the Lord, saints!
Congregation: (weakly) Praise the Lord.
Lady: (looking around incredulously) I said Praise the LORD, saints!
Congregation: (a little louder) Praise the Lord!
Lady: (shaking her head) Mmm, mmm, mmm. Thankya Jesus. Mmm, mmm, mmm.
You slide back in the pew, knowing this is going to take a while.
Lady: The Lord's . . . been good. I said, the LORD's been good. He's been better than good. He's been better than better than good. I said, he's been better than better than better than better than good. (shaking her head again) Mmm, mmm, mmm.
She quickly jerks forward and back up again, one elbow bent, hand behind her back. The Spirit.
Lady: If He don't do anything else for me, He's done enough - HAAAY! - He's done enough.
She does a double dip this time, and stamps her foot with a flourish.
Lady: There was a wallet, saints. A whole American and French life wrapped together in one up in there. There were credit cards-ah, debit cards-ah, social security cards-ah, euros-hah, student ID cards-ah, driver's licenses-hah. And the enemy, oh, Lord, he ain't for nothing but to kill, steal, and destroy, took it away. Sweet Jesus! But let me tell you something, saints, the devil is a LAH, and let me tell you in the middle of French Civilization today there was a knock at the door. A lady from the front office came in holding a wallet. The same wallet that the enemy stole - HAAAY! - But God turned it around! I said, God turned it around! It had everything, saints, all the cards, all the money, still there! A nice French lady found it and turned it into the Institut because of the student card inside. Mighty God! JAY-sus!
She gets out of the pew, head bowed, one arm still behind her back, the other upraised, and does a stationary, circular jig. Members of the congregation clap, humoring her, the profundity of the miracle of the found wallet slowly seeping into their consciousness.
Lady: I know . . . ya'll are ready to move on with the service. And I'mma let y'all finish, but I have a song on my heart. It goes like this (singing with a deep, clear voice that warmly rises):
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound
That saved cards and money!
A wallet was lost but now is found
And I am so happy.
Ya'll pray my strength in the Lord in these last and evil days.
9 comments:
You.Are.A.ROCKSTAR.
That's great though - I'd give a shout one time for that too ;)
Thank yuh, Jesus! m-m-m Ain't He good!
Oh, hallelujah!
So Happy for you! (I read your blog through Rebecca's) People you don't even know were praying for you! I am going to read this story and the 'lost wallet story' to my Grands this afternoon-they will love it. They can learn about France too.
p.s. I just found a kids library book here in the house that had 'gone missing' since Dec. 29. Such a simply item, but 'found' is so good. Neither was too small for our God!
Thank the Lord!! God is so good! He takes care of His own!
k
Thanks for your encouraging words, ladies. It really was wonderful to have everything returned to me. It's nice to know that people have me in their thoughts and prayers! :-)
I don't know how I missed this blog post, Chantell, but I've been praying about your lost wallet and then happen upon this post and I'm sitting here in tears, ready to shout the house down!
Girl, what a post!!! Hallelujah!
Oh, and I cry when I'm happy, cry when I'm sad....:-).....you know the kind! LOL
You are just so awesome and I love you! ((HUGS))
Aww, Sis. Jewel, you are the sweetest ever! I love you too, and I am so thankful for your prayers. :-)
This was an AWESOME post!!! Loved it!!! Made me smile and laugh! I'm gonna read it to my girls! They'll love it!!! Oh and I'm glad your wallet was found! :)
Post a Comment