The prodigal daughter returns home

Today I was invited to a party to celebrate the homecoming of my friend in Christ, Jama. Jama entered back into my life a little under a year ago. I couldn't find much mention of her in past BLOG posts, but I remember when I was reunited with her. This ~POST~ shows that I had taken notice into her past emotional instability. It is under the video and picture of bowling with my sister. To make short Jama's life journey, I will say this. She had been molested at a young age, she acted out in all the worst ways, through all the horrors she endured, some extremely THICK walls were constructed around her to keep everyone out. God brought me back into her life. I say back, because I have known Jama since a young age, and befriended her long ago. Never super close, we now exist as a brother and sister in Christ. Jama just got back from Mercy Ministries (Check yesterday's post for link to Mercy's web-site) where she was at for 6 months. The Jama I knew before her trip was guilty, angry, scared, wouldn't accept complements, didn't like touch, RAN FROM ANYTHING GOD, and pretty much just hated herself. The Jama I saw today was confident, bright eyed, filled with the spirit, glowing, empowered, loved, smiling, physically healthy, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I was amazed to say the least. The above picture is when I got the chance to hold hands with many "Jama advocates," while we prayed and thanked God for her return, both physically and spiritually. Besides my own, I believe this is the first time I have gotten to experience first hand the overwhelming GRACE that just pours out of an individual returning back to Christ. It was an amazing thing to be a part of.

We all took seats in the basement as Jama had an opportunity to share what Christ has been doing in her for the past six months. I cried, I laughed, I related, I smiled fervently, but mostly I just listened with an amazement that only Christ could bring out of me.

Jama spoke as if she had been giving spiritual "pep talks" for years. When only 6 months ago, she wouldn't even have dared speak out in front of anyone. She sang a song that she wrote while away for us. The lyrics were so incredibly beautiful and moving, and her voice....HER VOICE WOULD TAKE THE BREATH OUT OF YOU! It was an amazing night. She is a new creation. It reminded me of 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" or Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." It was not perplexing, because I have gone through that same transformation Jama went through. It just took me a little bit longer to find my way home.