Psalm 32:7

I want to share with you a first-hand account of how I experienced God change something that was intended for evil, and made it good.

Yesterday morning, on my way to church, I was assaulted by a man in a blue security shirt. He was carrying a gun and wanted money and a cell phone, but thankfully I had neither, for that morning all I had put in my purse was my bible and sunglasses. I was alone on the street when the man passed by me, turned around, and grabbed hold of me. Having seen his shirt I had assumed that he was security for the area, and was supposed to be there. I do not write this to place fear in your hearts, but to allow you to see how God’s presence and protection was made clear to me. In the moment I was scared in my heart, but I was also very consciously unafraid. I felt God with me, and I knew that he would provide a way out. Once the man realized I had nothing of value, he hesitated, only for a moment. But in that moment God sent a taxi down the street and allowed for a window to escape. In the time that followed I have spent hours going over things in my head, wondering what I should have done differently, and how this will change my perception in the future. I want to encourage you all to see how the Lord used this evil intent for good. I feel no resentment toward this man, I feel no bitterness toward God for allowing this to happen, and in this moment I am not controlled by fear.

I went to bed exhausted last night and slept through my alarm and first class this morning. Once I awoke, I laid there for awhile wondering how I was going to make in through six hours of class, having to explain to everyone, in Spanish, how my weekend was. I decided not to go at all. Instead I went to see Sheila, the school’s counselor, and was able to have a healthy grieving period for how my safety and body had been violated, as well as give a report that would later be passed on to the police. We then together went to the women’s prayer hour which meets on Mondays, and ten women laid their hands on me and prayed for healing, for protection, for truth to replace the lies of evil, and for the Lord to use this for his glory. Together we prayed for this man’s heart to be softened toward the gospel, and that he would find something greater than what he was looking for in my purse. I was blessed by these women, who lifted me up as the body should, and who came along side me in encouragement and love.

I did not go to class today, as my body was over the shock period, and was catching up with my mind. I left school at 11:00 feeling exhausted and spent. I was thankful that I wasn’t expected to scoot right off to grammar class, but was allowed to go home. I slept for two and a half hours. I spent the rest day in quiet solitude, going back and forth between processing and working. Sheila warned me that because my physical boundaries were betrayed by that man’s touch, it would take longer for me to psychologically process and heal. She warned me that for awhile, I may feel up one day and be down in tears the next. I was fascinated by how much the body and the mind are connected, and how both react to stressful situations. I am thankful to have had a place to go for healing today, one more way that God made himself known to me.

I will take continued prayer over the next few weeks, as I continue to live life normally here. This of course means walking everywhere, and being in circumstances where I have to walk alone. Pray against the bondage of fear, and that God would continue to use this situation for his ultimate glory. Pray also for the continued safety of the Students at ILE (Instituto de Lengua Espanola), as we are all in the same boat here. Thank you all for your love and concern.