Life Lessons

I have heard sermons about turning the other cheek, loving our enemies, if someone asks for your shirt give away your coat too etc. etc. And I have asked the Lord to help me assimilate and practice these teachings of Christ in my life.
God takes our prayers very seriously opens ways for us to put our faith into shoe-leather as Dr J Vernon McGee would say.
I was not going to share this experience in a post, but I struggled with it , so I thought I might put it here.

A day after Aunt Sybil 's funeral I discovered that a young woman with a troubled past,who sometimes comes to our church had caused Mama and me considerable financial loss. I went into shock and panic, but I did not share it with Mama as she was suffering and ill.I told 2 of my sisters about it.(Mama does not know about this )
At first my heart was full of anger and resentment against this girl -Al.But after speaking to my sisters and Prem I just committed the whole incident in the Lord 's hands and asked Him to wash away the hurt and loss from my heart.

Al has had a troubled childhood.Her mother died when she was a baby and her father neglected and emotionally abused her brother and her.
She made several false starts in life and messed up relationships quite often.

Our family tried to help the two siblings several times.Once when she was a teenager Al became mute. It was a psychological problem. But people around her thought it was demon possession - maybe it was.
She needed to be counselled but people were afraid and no one would open their home to her.My parents took her in and tried to" bring her around". Once in church she went berserk and started screaming at the preacher but when we prayed she went mute again. (I was working in another place when all this took place)
The Lord used my younger sister Namrita as a catalyst and she helped Al return to normal life.

Al is now married and has a 4 year old son. She is much better now, but you know we are made of clay and slip at a moment 's notice.
Last week I heard that she had been very sick and the doctors had to give her 2 bottles of blood to save her life.
Immediately my mind said;Aha this is what happens to people who ---And a number of "suitable" Bible verses flashed on my brain.
But the Lord rebuked me and said ;You go and visit her on her sick bed.
After that ,the matter was settled in my soul and I went to see her.
She was lying on her bed and her little son was playing next to her.Compassion and love flowed from my heart - she looked so sick and weak.I sat with her for sometime and visited with her parents and husband. As I was leaving she asked me to pray for her and I laid hands on her and prayed. And the Lord gave me such peace in my heart.

I learnt a lesson about forgiveness and 1 Cor 13 -LOVE
When I was a student we had weekly Bible studies and prayer meetings . In these meetings our leaders encouraged us to share what the Lord had taught us that week and share our burdens and prayer requests.In that same spirit I shared my experience here, not to appear noble or righteous. But to testify about the grace of God which flows to a weak needy person like me

Lord ,like the old tree in the photo , light a fire in the hollow emptiness of my life.