A week ago my mother's neighbor, Gloria, came by to visit me when I was preparing my mother's home for sale. She expressed her condolences for the loss of my dear mom. She also expressed joy and gladness to know that I married in the summer, and was unaware of it. She wanted to purchase a gift and treat Tammy and I for dinner at her home.
I thought it was a great gesture. Gloria told me that I had been very nice to her in the past, and wanted to show her gratefulness for caring.
Back in 2004/5 I had met her for the first time. My mom had just moved in the area after I had coached her to sell her home in san francisco to come down to san diego where I was. I lived with my widowed mom when she came down to keep her company. When I met Gloria, she told me she was having a hard time. She is an elderly lady in her 50's. She shared that her family had been broken up due to divorce (similar to my mom and dad), and she was feeling quite lonely because her family wasn't making the time to visit. I recall how broken she was, and judging from how quickly she spoke, how frantic and in despair she was. I told her that the Lord cared for her, and maybe she could receive some support from a church. I invited her to the church I went to, but she told me she lost faith in "church", and how so many people there let her down in her time of need. I offered to give her a hug and pray for her, but she refused as she sobbed. I felt bad, but told her I'd pray for her anyway.
As the years went by, I would have prayer partners lift her and her home up. She claimed she thought her home was "possessed" because of odd things happening in there. Jesus says we have authority over the spirits, and so my pal Paul and Tom and I prayed for the home. The next Christmas a break through happened after the home group I attended prayed for her... Her son came by with her grandson, whom she had never met up to that point, and he celebrated a short time with his mother! I remember because I called her as I was driving on the way back to San Diego from San Francisco, and I rejoiced in the car!
The next year her daughter came to visit from another state with her kids. Gloria didn't have a swimming pool key, and she begged me to give mine to her. I went down to personally open the pool for them. I told the daughter when Gloria stepped away that the church had prayed for her mom, and I didn't know what happened between them during, but I also came from a broken family. I could relate. I also told her that her mother may be difficult to talk with sometimes (because of all the worry she has), but she cared deeply for her.
I think that all helped in the healing process for Gloria. When she came to visit me last week she asked me if I still went to the same church. I told her no, but I go to another great one called Horizon at this time. I asked her why did she ask? did she want to go? And she said, you know what? Yes, maybe I will she said.
Today we will be taking her to church, and it will be the first time in a long while. I pray that the worship time is sweet and the Word is spoken forth in power so that salvation comes to this widow.
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