What wonderful things God has done! It is quite late (or quite early), but I could not get to sleep and thought I would email my grandmother. I wanted to write two weeks ago an unusual story of something that happened two weeks ago on a Saturday. Yet, I have not had much time to process and write it down in a meaningful way. The story from two weeks ago, on that Saturday, would be titled something like "I had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew" (Dr. Seuss' book)... or rather "I had Trouble in Getting to a tea party", to help with a classmate's senior project at a senior living home. I will save that story for later...
Here's to a current story, what the Lord has done. He has really blown me away, and I am having trouble sleeping honestly because of this "spiritual mountaintop".
So... mom, Anna, and I went to this woman's retreat this evening (well yesterday evening), with other woman from our church. It was held at a very elegant Marriot hotel. The evening event began with refreshments and socializing. Anna and I stuck together for the most part. Then I went to get some tea at the refreshment table. To my greatest astonishment I heard my name: "Lauren?" I turned to see an older woman standing in the line beside me. I looked at her, she looked at me. Her eyes started to water. I looked at her name tag: Roni.
"Roni... Roni?!" Suddenly my thoughts and emotions were everywhere, as this woman and I embraced. Through my foggy vision, I was looking at and embracing my 9th grade bus driver - Roni. The bus driver James and I had when we went to public school at North Allegheny. The bus driver who somehow managed that crazy bus of 40 or some highschoolers. The bus driver who decorated the bus with lights around Christmas time. This was Roni, my bus driver from 3 years ago.
Three years ago, I invited Roni to come to our church someday. I told her what church I went to and where it is. Then I had to say goodbye to Roni. I told her I was going to be homeschooled. I thought I would never see her again.
I have thought about her from time to time, and imagined her still driving that bus full of crazy highschoolers.
Now, stepping back to reveal to you another character in this wonderful story and shed some light on the background... There is a man named Bill. I have not yet met this Mr. Bill, but Roni speaks highly of him. Mr. Bill is the said "handy man" for a Miss Sally Dunbar. Miss Sally Dunbar invited Mr. Bill the "handy man" to come to church, at Christ Church at Grove Farm. And Mr. Bill did! He began coming to the church about a year ago in May. About this time, Bill became a Christian and started seeking the Lord wholeheartedly. Praise God!
In September 2016, Roni met Bill at a public dance somewhere. They became good friends. Sometime later, Roni asked Bill if he went to church. He told Roni he did and reads the Bible. "Oh good!" Roni thought, "he is spiritual and in touch with God and stuff." She had grown up in the catholic church but stopped going to church because it bored her. Bill told her what church he went to. "Can I come with you sometime?" She asked him.
November 13th. Roni went to church with this Bill. She went to Christ Church At Grove Farm. (That is the church my family goes to!) She heard Pastor John Guest's sermon, and her heart was moved. She was given new life through Christ, now she is forever changed. She gave her life to Jesus Christ, and is now a believer. The Holy Spirit has evidently touched her heart, and worked in awesome ways.
This was RONI, who I saw again through teary eyes. This was Roni I embraced and stood beside while worshipping the Lord in songs. This was Roni, my bus driver from 3 years ago. This is Roni, who is now saved and radiant with a new light in her eyes that shines brightly. She has the light of that of a child of the King in her eyes. This was Roni, my bus driver from 3 years ago. Now she brings her Bible, the Word of God, on the bus with her everyday, and reads when waiting for the kids from the schools to get on.
And when picking up kids from a christian school, she talks with the teachers and asks them questions.
God is so great!
My heart rejoices and my soul praises God for the great things He has done and is doing. To God be the glory!
I will go to bed now and try to sleep and rise in a few hours to go to YWAM Pittsburgh, to help with the Kid's club for refugees. There is a video glimpse of what that is like, if you are interested in watching it, please message me.
All for now!
God is so great!!!
Roni, Anna, and I
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