We Found Her, Unconscious... the Sole Print of Her Husband's Shoe Etched on her Face
Love sinks in SLOWLY when abuse has deep roots...
Some days are just plain UGLY...
Early one day last week, a Girls With Vision member ran to find us... Ruth had been beaten by her husband!
When we arrived at her house, the neighbor ladies were all anxiously gathered around her holding buckets...
Ruth was soaking wet - unconscious.
Her panicked friends all trying to revive her.
The WORST - her husband's sole print was still etched on the side of her face.
We have been walking with Ruth for over a year now...
grappling with impossible questions -
"What if my husband is a THUG?" - and
"I have NO food for my BABY!" (click these links for more of Ruth's story)
An 18 year old mama, married to one of the well-known thugs in our community.
How we have loved her!
Making EVERY attempt to show her - even more importantly - that GOD loves her!!!
But, LOVE sinks in SLOWLY when roots of evil ABUSE run deep...
How I wish this were different!
Yet, even as I look back at my own, sheltered and loved life, I see many instances when even I struggled to grasp GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL love!
So, how can I be surprised - when women who have been rejected and abused their entire lives - can't wrap their hearts around SUCH LOVE! This process will be a slow one... with many disappointments.
And we know that even a lifetime is not long enough for ANY of us to come to a full understanding of GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL love!
And so, I pray a prayer - one of my favorites - that has been prayed over the centuries... Because even Paul of the Bible knew it sinks in slowly.
For Ruth, for my children, and for each of us -
Some days are just plain UGLY...
Early one day last week, a Girls With Vision member ran to find us... Ruth had been beaten by her husband!
When we arrived at her house, the neighbor ladies were all anxiously gathered around her holding buckets...
Ruth was soaking wet - unconscious.
Her panicked friends all trying to revive her.
The WORST - her husband's sole print was still etched on the side of her face.
 |
| Ruth, with her family picture... memories of a peaceful day in a rocky relationship. |
grappling with impossible questions -
"What if my husband is a THUG?" - and
"I have NO food for my BABY!" (click these links for more of Ruth's story)
An 18 year old mama, married to one of the well-known thugs in our community.
How we have loved her!
Making EVERY attempt to show her - even more importantly - that GOD loves her!!!
But, LOVE sinks in SLOWLY when roots of evil ABUSE run deep...
 |
| My favorite picture of RUTH with her baby boy, RAMSES. |
Yet, even as I look back at my own, sheltered and loved life, I see many instances when even I struggled to grasp GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL love!
So, how can I be surprised - when women who have been rejected and abused their entire lives - can't wrap their hearts around SUCH LOVE! This process will be a slow one... with many disappointments.
And we know that even a lifetime is not long enough for ANY of us to come to a full understanding of GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL love!
And so, I pray a prayer - one of my favorites - that has been prayed over the centuries... Because even Paul of the Bible knew it sinks in slowly.
For Ruth, for my children, and for each of us -
"And I ask him
that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in ...
the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love.
Reach out and experience the breadth!
Test its length!
Plumb the
depths!
Rise to the heights!
Live full lives, full in the fullness of
God."
Ephesians 3:14-19
Because LOVE is the ONLY thing that ever changed me...
LOVE is the only thing that will ever change Ruth!
May this unimaginable, unchanging LOVE truly sink in and CHANGE each of us!!!
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