Astounded, astounded
That Your gospel beckoned
Surrounded, surrounded
But
Determined, determined
Now to live this life for You
You're so worthy
Would be the least You're due
This will be
This will be
You'll always be
Jesus You will always have
--Befriended by Matt Redman
ASTOUNDED
tr.v. a·stound·ed
overwhelmed with amazement;
astonished greatly;
shocked with wonder or surprise
Valentine
has now been here for one week. Only one word keeps coming to mind the past few days about what I'm getting to witness first hand take place in her life: a s t o u n d e d.
I am completely, in every sense of the word, astounded. I am overwhelmed with amazement, and shocked with wonder at the work of God in Valentine's life in just one short week. Let me fill you in with a little background first, and then I will share why I am walking around filled with uncontainable JOY about what's going on in her life.
I knew
that one day she would come. I hoped she would come--but really, I knew in my heart, one day she would be here with us.
I didn't expect
You are a stupid woman!
You will never be anything more than a ________!
that she would be our first guest, and that her heart would be so hungry for the Lord.
I knew
that in the process of her being here, that she would come to know Jesus, and that she would change as He healed her devastated heart. I knew these things.
I didn't expect
it to happen so quickly, I guess...within the first days of her being here. Or so dramatically, and radically.
that in the process of her being here, that she would come to know Jesus, and that she would change as He healed her devastated heart. I knew these things.
I didn't expect
it to happen so quickly, I guess...within the first days of her being here. Or so dramatically, and radically.
Valentine
was the top money maker in the brothel that I used to visit once a week. She was the prettiest, the sought after one.
Valentine
was the one that turned away clients when I visited her, because, well, she was the girl in the brothel that had the option to pick and choose her customers.
was the top money maker in the brothel that I used to visit once a week. She was the prettiest, the sought after one.
Valentine
was the one that turned away clients when I visited her, because, well, she was the girl in the brothel that had the option to pick and choose her customers.
Valentine
was also her p!mp's prized girl (at that time, it would be more accurate to say she was his prized possession). I knew she had power in the brothel. I saw her take control of certain situations, and just knew--this girl rules the roost.
was also her p!mp's prized girl (at that time, it would be more accurate to say she was his prized possession). I knew she had power in the brothel. I saw her take control of certain situations, and just knew--this girl rules the roost.
Nevertheless, out of all of the girls in the brothel, she was the one with whom I had the most favor. She was the one who welcome me into her room at night. She would close her door, and stop working, so we could talk and pray.
I knew that she truly believed in Jesus. I knew that Jesus was changing her heart. I could see it. But then, out of nowhere, she was gone. After a year of seeing her almost every week, she was trafficked to another city. This is typical in this business--never anywhere for too long (I consider it only the grace of God that we even had an entire year together). Her p!mp decided it was time to go, and she would do what he said. No time for goodbyes.
Not knowing yet that he had taken her, I showed up one night to celebrate her birthday. I had made her a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, as that was her request. I came with a new Bible, and with a handmade book I had made for her. I was so excited to celebrate this special occasion with her. I approached Valentine's room and was met by new girls standing in her doorway, telling me with as much pity as they could muster, "Sorry, she's working in another city." I fought tears as they streamed down my face. I knew that I wouldn't see her for a long time.
Thankfully, Valentine had my email. Over the next two years, when she was desperate for help, she would write, and ask for prayer. We stayed in touch.
Jesus continued to pursue her. I received an email one time from her, describing a very vivid dream that she had had, of seeing the face of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. She said she was filled with joy, and that in the dream that she saw me, and said, "Look in the sky, it's Jesus!" and I said, "Yes, He loves you." I knew He was continuing the good work He had begun in her.
Months later I received an email telling me that she had run away from her p!mp and that she was trying to start a new life. She had a regular job, but was struggling daily with flashbacks of all she had suffered--not just from the job itself, but of being beaten and brainwashed consistently by the man who said he loved her.
You like what you do!
You are a stupid woman!
You will never be anything more than a ________!
Finally, again, by the grace of God, she had had enough. She escaped from him. She ran as far away as she could, and was in hiding for months before she contacted me.
After months of prayer, she, and we, knew it was the right timing. She was ready to do whatever it took to have Jesus heal her of all she'd experienced. We booked her flight, and on Valentine's Day she arrived. She had warned me before on the phone, "I'm very different now than I was before. I don't think you'll recognize me. I don't wear make-up anymore, and I've gained weight, and my hair is different..."
When I picked her up at the airport, she DID look different. I had to truly study her face to know that it was her, and almost force myself to walk up to her, because honestly, she looked like death. That was 7 days ago. Now, she has come to life.
Astounding.
I don't even know where to start except at the Name of JESUS. Jesus has prepared her for this time and place. He truly went ahead of her and leveled every mountain that could be in her way. He had wooed her over these past three years, and she was ready, totally ready for whatever it was she needed to do to have Him heal her. She has given him her heart, and is falling in love with Him.
Valentine
is now
smiling
singing
glowing
She is
reading God's Word and it's coming alive to her
She is
praying passionately for her family to know Jesus
She is
beaming with light and life and joy
Valentine
is now saying things like
I'm filled with the Holy Spirit!
I'm like a flower, opening, and coming to life!
The only man I want in my life is JESUS!
Praise the Lord!
Halleluja!
I want to go upstairs and
read my Bible right now, is that okay?
I can't wait to go to church!
And I see her with my eyes
and I hear what she says with my ears,
and I get all big-eyed,
and put my hand over my mouth
to cover the drop of my jaw,
and I smile ear to ear
as I shake my head
in a daze of utter wonder and bewilderment.
Like
come on,
this is not REALLY happening right now
in front of my eyes, is it?!
Is this really
Valentine?
The girl I once knew?
The girl I picked up just one week ago?
The girl that cried and cried and cried
the first day of being here,
as she told me what she'd been endured
the past three years?
I am Astounded. Shocked.
Wonder. Fully. Surprised.
At her
At His work in her
At Him
At His showing off of Himself
at what He can do in her
in such a short time.
And it's like He's saying,
You think this is BIG stuff?
You haven't seen nothin' yet.
After months of prayer, she, and we, knew it was the right timing. She was ready to do whatever it took to have Jesus heal her of all she'd experienced. We booked her flight, and on Valentine's Day she arrived. She had warned me before on the phone, "I'm very different now than I was before. I don't think you'll recognize me. I don't wear make-up anymore, and I've gained weight, and my hair is different..."
When I picked her up at the airport, she DID look different. I had to truly study her face to know that it was her, and almost force myself to walk up to her, because honestly, she looked like death. That was 7 days ago. Now, she has come to life.
Astounding.
I don't even know where to start except at the Name of JESUS. Jesus has prepared her for this time and place. He truly went ahead of her and leveled every mountain that could be in her way. He had wooed her over these past three years, and she was ready, totally ready for whatever it was she needed to do to have Him heal her. She has given him her heart, and is falling in love with Him.
Valentine
is now
smiling
singing
glowing
She is
reading God's Word and it's coming alive to her
She is
praying passionately for her family to know Jesus
She is
beaming with light and life and joy
Valentine
is now saying things like
I'm filled with the Holy Spirit!
I'm like a flower, opening, and coming to life!
The only man I want in my life is JESUS!
Praise the Lord!
Halleluja!
I want to go upstairs and
read my Bible right now, is that okay?
I can't wait to go to church!
And I see her with my eyes
and I hear what she says with my ears,
and I get all big-eyed,
and put my hand over my mouth
to cover the drop of my jaw,
and I smile ear to ear
as I shake my head
in a daze of utter wonder and bewilderment.
Like
come on,
this is not REALLY happening right now
in front of my eyes, is it?!
Is this really
Valentine?
The girl I once knew?
The girl I picked up just one week ago?
The girl that cried and cried and cried
the first day of being here,
as she told me what she'd been endured
the past three years?
I am Astounded. Shocked.
Wonder. Fully. Surprised.
At her
At His work in her
At Him
At His showing off of Himself
at what He can do in her
in such a short time.
And it's like He's saying,
You think this is BIG stuff?
You haven't seen nothin' yet.
