She got to the bottom before she looked up.    
She was arrested on a felony charge.
 
She already had 4 "failure to appear" arrest warrants out on her.  It looked like she was going to do some prison time, this time.
 
As a protection for herself (and for them) they separated her from the other prisoners, until she could come down off the drugs.
 
She was in a solitary cell.  But, she wasn't alone.  God was out visiting the jail, that night!  
 
She said, "I would usually be thinking, 'I've got to get out of here so I can get some more crack.'"
 
"Instead, this deep sorrow came over me, and I found myself thinking,  'God, what have I done to my life?' "
 
We call that "repentance".
 
Jeff Boggs, the jail Chaplain, was there for her.  He helped her to turn her life over to Christ.  A long discipling process began, both there at the jail and after she was released from jail.  She had to promise to not "use" anymore.  She had to submit to all sorts of regulations and rules in order to have freedom.
 
Some would say, "Yeah, well she just got 'Jailhouse Religion'."
 
Nope, not in this case.
 
How do you know? 
Because she's still straight!
 
It's been 18 months, and she's working a job.
 
She has her own place.
 
 
She shows up on time for work.

She is thought of as a valuable employee.
 
She reports for probation weekly and passes all random drug screen tests.
 
But, mostly I know that it was real because
every time we give her a ride to work  . . .
I see Jesus in her!
 
Her smile is genuine!
 
She has a great joy and gives Glory to God,
(even when it's hard to pay the bills)!!
 
 Some might look at her toothless smile and say that this woman in her mid 50's hasn't come very far in life.
 
That's because they are not familiar with her starting point . . .
 
For her, life didn't really begin until 18 months ago! 
The best is yet to come!!

 


Note to the Reader: 

This year, for the first time in a long time, she spent her Christmas Day with her family. 
Jesus is still working His Wonders!! 

And, it is a Wonder to Behold!

Who are (we) to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.                                                             Romans 14:4 (NIV)

 
"Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others." - H. Jackson Brown