Numerous people have stopped me and asked me how my neighbor "Jessica" is doing. I've actually been surprised at the number of people that read that post. So, if you read the previous post entitled "The Gift: Being in a Mess with Others (For God's Glory)", you remember the story about my neighbor (a young girl) that had moved in with her boyfriend of 3 months and found herself pregnant and far away from home. The following weeks after my post, we had several more interactions with Joe and Jessica as they wadded through what seemed to feel like deep mud. Exhausted, scared, angry, lost, and helpless were a couple of the emotions we felt through them. Jessica called me once and asked if she could come over and get some space from Joe. She did not have a car, so she asked if I'd take her to get some cigarettes, and so on. It went on like this for only about two weeks until one day I came home to Joe working on his car out front of his house. I asked him how they were doing. He casually replied, "Oh, you didn't hear?" He went on to tell me that Jessica had miscarried that Monday, and flew back to her home state that Wednesday. I could not believe it. I grieved her miscarriage, and hoped she was safe and supported back home. In just a couple months, this young girl was in and out of my life, and without any notice on either side.
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Months later now, I hope that all our encounters spoke God's love over her. Both Joe and Jessica do not know the risen Christ, much less trusted in the cross to rescue them from sin and death. They are real people, with gritty stories, foul mouths, and deep hurt - yet, Jessica is just the type of woman Jesus went after in the gospel stories. I can just picture Jesus interacting with this girl - asking her questions that might lead to a transformed heart, and beckoning her to trust in him for real life. I can picture his soft eyes rest on her, eyes full of his divine love and deep compassion.
My prayer is that Jessica will find rest for her soul. I pray that she will meet another follower of Christ that can usher her into more of Christ's heart for her; that she will find healing and hope in this painful and unredeemed world. My prayer is for her life to be restored on this side of heaven, and that one day I will get to see her rejoicing in the presence of her King. If you took the time to read this, take a moment to pray for Jessica's healing and salvation.
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