Friday, November 22, 2019

Dear God,

A simple Christmas tree ornament can speak of miracles, grace and transformation.  Just today I saw a picture of a purple sweater ornament handmade by a very special woman many years ago.  Wanda lived in a tiny efficiency apartment with her young son and drug dealer husband.  She was desperate when I met her but she had a faith like no other.  She trusted in you and prayed for a better life for her son and herself.  Through amazing volunteers who took Wanda into their hearts and under their wings, Wanda learned to read and write, get her GED, drive a car, and get a job.  Several years later she was made the director of a homeless shelter.  She enrolled in college.

After being with us and our church for about three years, she got a better job and moved away.  But before she left, she brought me a beautiful small gold box.  Inside was a handmade sewn purple sweater ornament, like the coat one of the women of the church bought her when all she had to wear to work when she walked was a thin white sweater.  She cried when she put it on telling us it was the first new coat she had ever owned and she was 34 years old.

As I gazed upon that ornament I thought of how you had brought a miracle into Wanda's life and allowed our church to be part of it.  We celebrated her new life and her amazing faith.  When I put the ornament on my tree this year I will remember Wanda, her faith, her courage, her strength and her love and I will be challenged by the gift she is to others, to you and to me.

Thank you
for Wanda,
for all
she is
by faith
and hope
and determination.
Bless her today
and always.

Love, Andrea