Have you ever met a stranger on a plane and talked the entire flight? I hadn't, until last Thursday afternoon. I had such a wonderful encounter with what seemed like an angel in disguise, that I can't keep to myself.
There I sat silently in my seat as the plane boarded when I heard a sweet voice say "Hi, may I sit with you?" I looked up and saw a beautiful lady with a smile I'll never forget. She was somewhere in her 40s and in wonderful shape by the way.
"Absolutely!" I replied and I turned sideways to let her by. She sat next to the window and mostly stared out of it until take off.
"So" she turned and faced me, "how old is he?" "2 months" I said.... "aww he's perfect" she whispered...there was something about that comment that froze me. I couldn't even reply with a thank you, I just stared at the way she was looking at him.... there was such a tenderness to her. "I'm Lisa by the way" she extended her hand "Oh, (me clearning my throat) hi, I'm Esther, very nice to meet you"
"I've always wanted to have children" she began as she kept her eyes glued on Maddox, "but I guess the good Lord knows best" I understood at that moment the tenderness in her spirit and the look in her eyes when she saw my baby. I remained quiet as to not pry about her previous comment. She placed her head back, looked up and just began telling me her life story.
I have been so touched by Ms. Lisa that I dedicate this blog to her for the amazing testimony she carries and hope someday she reads it.
I've always thought there was a reason and purpose for everything, but last Thursday I truly believed it with all my heart. Lisa, had come from a broken home, in addition, she had also lost her baby sister by the hands of 2 men who viciously raped and beat her, then tied her lifeless body on train tracks. "Oh, the pain I felt.." I turned away as to not let her see my eyes swelling with tears. She contined on to explain that months later she got a divorce with her first husband, and how she'd remarried years later, but struggled to get her new husband in Church. "We needed Christ in our relationship" she went on "I didn't want to be divorced a 2nd time, so I begged him to attend church with me just one time....and well it wasn't easy Esther" she paused then smiled at me "God was so good and heard my heart" I smiled and she continued which I didn't mind I was so intrigued with each word she spoke.
"That's when I discovered I would never have children..." My heart sank. Ugh, just when you thought it was about to get good.....think again. I wanted to know so badly what was the cause of her infertility because I knew of a few people who battled with fertility & won their fight.....but I didn't have the courage to ask. Ms. Lisa talked about the devistation she and her husband felt when they heard the words "you'll never concieve." Honestly at that moment my heart grew angry, either because I knew what God could do, (I was ready to preach the stories of Sarah and Rachel) or because I wanted things to be different for her after everything she'd been through; regardless there was a purpose for her infertility. She turned her laptop towards me and showed me the faces of children she was looking at calling her own. She smiled so big as she talked about each one and that's when it hit me. What if every woman was able to give birth? What would happen to all these precious children that come from abused homes? I guess they'd continue to be abused, neglected or hurt? Would women truly want to birth their own and still care to take in a few more? Is it crazy to think that God may have purposely closed her womb in order to give other children hope? Because there is sin in this life some mothers make bad choices and end up getting their children taken from them, but thank God for women like Lisa! She told me she knew God had a plan for her life and it was to love children even if they weren't her flesh and blood. She told me that regardless of all her trials, failures, and hurts she still chose to love the Lord and thank Him for it all. To hear how much she had been through, then to hear her thank God for it, completely wowed me. It was so powerful.
So what's the point in me sharing this Lisa with you all? Well for starters she's amazing beyond my description of her, but listen we all have our stories. Lisa's was one of the most touching testimonies I'd ever heard and she blessed me more than she will ever know by just allowing me to listen. She taught me that life can be mean & ugly, but that does not give us an excuse to give up on trusting God and His perfect plan for us. And it challenged me. So I'll challenge you..it made me wonder who all we could reach, touch and bless if we'd allow
just
one
conversation.
In Him,
Est
