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Stripes and Staples, Part 2
In Part 1, I told you about the great service we had a couple of weeks ago in Alabama, and the young ladies we were privileged to meet from the local correctional facility who attended the service that night. One of the women, Kristen, sang “Beulah Land” in her striped jumpsuit at the pastor’s request and God used her in a great way that evening. Read more about it here.
After the concert was over, I got an opportunity to talk to each of them and their 2 guards. They told me that they have a Bible study group and they meet for worship services each week. Kristen sings for them, a lady from that church leads their study, and they are all growing together. As I was signing books for them, I wrote each one a personalized note as God laid it on my heart for each one. As Mindy walked up, God popped this line into my head, and I wrote it down: “Great things are in store for you.”
Mindy stood over my shoulder as I wrote. Through tears she said to me, “I read that as you wrote it. I get out tomorrow.”
I hugged her and congratulated her and asked her what she was going to do tomorrow when she got out. She said, “Find a church!” The girls immediately flipped the books over to the spine when they received them, and six huge smiles spread over their faces as they exclaimed, “Look- no staples!” The guards explained to me that they are not allowed to have books with staples in the spine, but Songs In The Night does not have staples, so it was ok.
I thought about those girls going to bed in cells that night reading about how God wants to use our hard times for good. I thought about how but for the grace of God, I could have traveled the same road.
We all wear stripes. Our sin is evident by God’s holy standard. We’ve all had staples. Life has given us all circumstances that would keep us from experiencing what God wants to do in our lives. But if we know Christ, He doesn’t see our stripes. He isn’t stopped by our staples. What a great God.
Wonderful story, Lauren! I know a little about what you speak of because I worked for 21 years in the Probation Dept. here in Jefferson, TX. Several found Christ while on probation, not because we could talk to them about Him, but because some realized that they needed Someone who could really help them. If they mentioned finding the Lord, then I could talk to them about it. It’s a joy to see these who went so far astray find Jesus and to start depending on Him to get them through the rough times……….just as we do.
God has greater things in store for you, too, Lauren. May the Lord bless your ministry.
“God wants to use our hard times for good” Wow ! God’s divine wisdom (once upon a time) took something as ugly and debilitating as Mono, and eventually turned that sickness into a testimony and ministry that is beautiful, powerful, and far-reaching beyond our human scope. Lauren, with God as your Wingman, you are amazing, for Him ~ thank you for sharing those special moments and allowing the Lord to touch us accordingly ~
I had ‘glory bumps’ as I read this Lauren! Did you ever think that your book would go behind prison bars? Thus the power of media! (Do you hear the voice of a church librarin speaking?)
I am so thankful for all the doors of opportunity God is opening for you and your willingness to walk through them. You are so right…but for the grace of God any of us could have taken the same road many of those precious ladies took. I love the song Guy Penrod sings “every saint has a past and every sinner has a futuer’! Ain’t it so!?! Love & prayers always!
that’s future!
That’s so wonderful Lauren! You are extremely beautiful inside and out Lauren..keep on doing the good you’re doing! <3
~Laura!~
Wow, what a great opportunity to be used at this facility, Lauren. Will pray for more opportunities for you to be used.
God Bless
Marilyn VanHoose
Amen, Lauren! I found such a great renewed love for the gospel and God’s blessings when Mike and I began our prison ministry last year. It showed me that it doesn’t matter what we’ve done, where we are, or what has happened…God loves us! I heard a song on the radio the other day that reminded me of how great God’s love is….”I’m the sweat on Your brow, yet You love me. I’m the nail in Your wrists, yet You love me. I’m the one in the crowd crying “Crucify Him” yet You love me.” Who else could do that? It really humbles me when I think of the sacrifice God made for me, you, and all His children. Now, when I’m told by a prisoner, friend, or stranger that they aren’t good enough for God, I will tell them something I was once told….”Honey, the Bible is full of failures, fools, and freaks. God loved them enough to give His son, and He loves you just as much!”
God works through you so tremendously, Lauren. He has blessed you, and we are all blessed for you to share these experiences with us. God bless you!!!
Love, Gail Varner
Your strength, wisdom and knowledge never ceases to amaze me. Always in my prayers! I love you as my own.
KB
Thanks for posting this Lauren. It means a lot
Amen… this is so true!
Lauren, I’m the music minister from the Ft. Payne, AL church where this even took place. I am so overwhelmed that you would write these posts about that event, allowing it to touch even more people. I booked your family really for selfish reasons, as I have been a Talley music fan from the beginning in the early 80′s and wanted to get to meet you all and introduce you to my church and our community. I knew the concert would be awesome; yours always are… but what God had in store for us that night was beyond our greatest anticiaption, or in scritural terms, “greater than we are able to ask or think”. What an experience it was to come expecting you to minister to us (which you did), and leave having seen our ‘special guests’ minister to all of us alike!
Don’t sell yourself short… your singing was amazing that night. BTW, your dad told me about these posts as we were on the phone discussing bringing you back next year. We are going to get it done, and I can not wait! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. I will see to it that these posts are shared with the girls at the correctional facility.
Just so you know when I went to have Bible study with them the next week each one had already completed the entire book and loved, I mean really loved it. They were still so excited about all the events of the evening. They are precious ladies and God used you , another special lady to bless them mightily. Thank you so much!
Mmm, what a beautiful follow-up to your first post! This is a precious reminder for me during this Easter weekend when we remember how God’s love and grace were made available to us through Jesus’s amazing atonement on the cross, and all our “stripes” were healed. “Hallalujah, Praise the Lamb!”
Thanks again, Lauren, for this reminder! Blessings!