OH MY God....

OH MY! When I said I was convinced God was with me in this journey, I had NO idea what I was talking about.

I just got back from Borders. I went to buy a couple of theology books I’ve been putting off for a long time. I had 2 in my hands and I was walking up and down the aisles looking for a General Religion section. I wanted a general, broad stroke book on world religions. That’s when I ran into this man. He was probably in is early sixties, dark, heavy, gray-haired Black man in old jeans, carrying a bag with what looked like all his worldlies in it. He looked at me and said, “Hey there sister, pray for me when you go to church ok? The name is Michael.” I said ok that I would and I repeated his name so I wouldn’t forget it. I kept walking up the aisle thinking how CRAZILY ironic it was that this guy was asking ME to pray for him when I go to church. I have no idea when that will be, so I prayed for him quickly in my head, noting that I left off the “in Jesus’ name” part.

I keep walking up and down the aisles looking for this world religions book and I run into him again and here goes the rest of the conversation:

Mike: So, sister, where do you go to church?

Lexi: Umm, I’m kinda up in the air about that right now.

(conversation about where he was from-Boston-how he’s a “walker”, history of the city, what he’s seen since he’s been in DC, etc.)

Mike: So, you’re seeking? Trying to decide…

Lexi: Trying to figure out what I believe.

Mike: Are you…?

Lexi: A Christian? Yeah. I pastored a church with my husband for 9 years.

Mike: I knew it. Listen to me sister (points finger at me) you are needed. The church needs you. You may wander about for a while and even look into all these other religions, but you always come back home. The church needs you. You have been through a lot. There are wounded women, people who have been molested who need you, need to hear what you have to say. Listen, the Church is afraid. I love the church, but the Church is afraid to talk about abuse and molestation, prostitution and abortion. I know. I’ve had my own children aborted.

There is so much stuff that has happened and it’s easy to be bitter because you’ve been hurt. I don’t know if it was a divorce or what happened with you and your husband, but that’s none of my business. Don't let bitterness and anger keep you away from what God has from you. I know you can be in there exegeting Hebrew and Greek one minute and then a flash from whatever happened enters you mind and all that goes out the window when the anger and pain rushes in. I know how it is, I've been there.

But,YOU are needed. You may run away, but you won’t go far, you know where home is. Young women need people to talk about this stuff. And not just the women, the boys are being molested and raped right in the church. We don’t want to talk about the DL and all that kind of stuff, but people have been wounded. That's what's happening to our men and women. That’s why they are building so many more women’s prisons nowadays. Wounded people don’t have anyone to talk to. You’re needed sister. The church needs leadership. You keep searching, you’ll come home.

Lexi: (Crying at this point) Mike, you will never know how much this conversation has meant to me. Thank you so much.

Mike: I don’t know why I’m saying this to you, but it’s not about charismatic or this way or that way. There are people who are hurting and they need help, period. You are already helping people, but the Church needs you sister. You’re needed.

Lexi: You know, I was just looking for the General Religion section for a book on world religions and I can’t find it, instead here I am talking to you.

Mike: You read and study. I did the same thing, Buddhism, this one, that one. Do what you need to but know that you have gifts, you’re needed. You’ll come home.

(My co-worker walks past. I speak. She is white.)

Mike: And there's so much racial healing that has to take place. God doesn't want us living in the past. We keep wanting to look back. Look at you and your friend. He's doing something there. I don't know what it is but God wants us moving forward, not living in the past.

Lexi: Thank you so much, Mike.

Mike: You go on, don't let me hold you. God bless you, Sister.
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OK, I don’t even want to mention how I walked away from the conversation and went to 2 more aisles and back to the one we were in and he was nowhere to be found, because that just sounds too creepy. Things like this happen to people I think are weirdos, not to me.

I found the world religions book but by this time had totally lost interest.

Oh my, to be pursued by the God of the Universe! Amazing.