A God Moment at the Water Department

Today was a very typical Monday. I had to work at getting my tired children up and out of bed, fed, dressed and to school. After drop off I went to work out. I came home to shower & dress for the day before heading out to run a few errands. High on my priority list was getting all the utilities from my old house taken out of my name.

I was making phone calls as I traveled from place to place. Something (or someONE, ahem) compelled me to actually go to the water department. There is still not really a good explanation for why I decided to handle that one in person rather than by phone--except perhaps that it is fairly centrally located in our town. As I drove by I thought, why not? I could have never predicted how God would show up in such a mundane place.

I parked and walked in the small brick building. There was no line in the waiting room. Only the center one of the three windows for customer service was occupied. I vaguely remember noticing the back of a young woman with a long, blonde pony tail.

It only took about 45 seconds to give the representative my information and the desired date for discontinuing service. Then as I turned to walk away I heard a soft female voice say, "Ms. Jennifer? Ms. Jennifer Scott?"

Assuming it was the representative, I turned back towards the window I had just left. The blonde woman had turned around too. It was then that I noticed her face, her tentative smile, and realized she had been the one calling my name. I was shocked to see KP.

I haven't seen her in three years. I knew by way of myspace and newspaper headlines that she had given birth to a son almost two years ago--and that her drug addicted mother had passed away last year at age 39. I had heard that KP had returned to prison. Yet, there she was...appearing healthy, well-kempt and smiling.

Things had not ended well with us back in 2008. I had loved her until my heart was broken. I tried to be her savior. I wanted my care and concern to be enough to fix her. I longed for her to see her potential the way I did. She had not been receptive. After her arrest we had posted bail, only for her to run away. She was rearrested within two weeks--pregnant within a year. When she called it was for money not moral support. I had made the painful decision to stop accepting her collect calls from prison and to write her instead. She never responded to my letters.

I didn't bring any of that up this morning. I just let her talk. I marveled at her maturity. She volunteered that she has been clean for 16 months. She was getting her water turned on to a new place--leaving a man who drinks too much--providing a safe place so she can regain custody of her son. She is job hunting and enrolled in classes.

I LOVE how God works because the lessons from yesterday about speaking identity into people was very fresh on my heart. I told her I believed in her potential. I affirmed how proud I was of the progress she is making. Most importantly, I looked her straight in the eye and felt led to counter a lie I am almost certain the Enemy must taunt her with. "KP, you are NOT your mother. That does not have to be your story."

She smiled widely. "I know."

She told me how hard it is to dig herself out of this ditch. She cannot live in public housing because of her drug record. She has had to abandon her career goals in health care for the same reason. She is pursuing other jobs, but her history of felonies is haunting her with each application. There are real life consequences to her sin.

She never asked me for a thing, choosing instead to proudly report on her progress. At one point she looked at me and said, "Ms. Jennifer, I feel real bad about the way I treated you when you tried to help. That wasn't me. It was my addiction."

It felt like the most sincere and healing apology I have ever experienced. It was redemptive. It was restorative. It was a blessing.

I don't know what will happen from here. I gave KP my number and offered my services as her head cheerleader. I would be BLOWN AWAY by the opportunity to watch God turn her ship around--for her and for the life of her son. I am well aware that may not be my role. Frankly, our encounter today was an overwhelming gift.

Seeing KP today was a reminder that NO ONE is beyond the reach of a turnaround. It was a much needed encouragement to keep loving and giving as the Lord leads. I am not the savior--God is. He has a timeline I am not privy to. I don't get to decide/predict who will make it and who won't. I am commanded to love--pure and simple--and let Him work out the rest. I have no idea how this story will end for KP...but the encounter today was amazing. God is at work all the time...and sometimes we get to catch a glimpse.