Walking with the Marysong Girls!
Merry Thursday with Parris Bailey
Jude 1:20-23 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
Did I ever tell you that I have the best job in the universe?
When the weather and my schedule cooperate I like to take the girls out of their “compound setting” to either City Park or Audubon. We all pile into the green van and off we go on another adventure. If I am feeling “angelic” there is usually a refreshment stop in a New Orleans cafe to cap off the day. For many of them, this will be their first time to step foot into a coffee shop- be it Starbucks, PJ’S, or CC’s. The last two Wednesdays have been especially meaningful to me. In case you don’t know who the Marysong girls are I will introduce you. Three years ago we started, by the grace of God, a restoration center for women. We exist by your donations (haha) and of the course the Holy Spirit. It is a ten month “microwave” program where the girls step out of their negative environments and learn to live with God in their life. It has been AMAZING!
So last week I took them all to City Park, where every Wednesday you can visit the museum and the sculpture garden for free. The day was brisk but sunny and the girls always love the fresh air. I keep them at a fast pace, teaching them various stretches and talking to them about learning to enjoy God’s creation and the importance of exercise vs. a negative lifestyle. As we went into the sculpture garden I challenged them to look at each piece of art and share a scripture or spiritual significance about that particular piece. We all had a blast, each of the girls really came up with deep spiritual truths that not only related to the artwork but triggered something in their own lives. I just love the statue of Ruth and Naomi holding on to each other! Ruth found her Boaz!
At the end of the walk through the garden we came across stepping stones that led us across a pond full of fountains and bubbling water. One shared about the river in the book of Revelations proceeding from the throne, others shared about the stepping stones being a walk of faith. I then encouraged the girls to proclaim over themselves what God will do in their lives. “I’m never going back to my old life”, “Lord, help me to be obedient to your will in my life”, we all yelled something out standing on those stepping stones in the garden at City Park. I can’t really say something dramatic happened but I felt something change in the Spirit. Today, we walked around Audubon Park, one of the girls had to stop and tell me how she has never felt so much peace and happiness in her life before. (She started taking drugs at eleven years old) Another literally preached to me from Frank’s message last Sunday about being a surfer about catching the wave then she went to preach about the triumphant procession of Christ!
John Gill said about: Praying in the Holy Ghost – “Holding fast the Divine influence which ye have received, and under that influence making prayer and supplication to God. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy Ghost is never likely to reach heaven.”
Our job is to pull people “out of the fire”, even their garments are likely to be tainted with sin. But there is nothing like the resurrection power of God!