Monday, November 8, 2010

The Beauty of Snowflakes

Sketch of snow crystal by René Descartes

"Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together" - Isaiah 43:26


Hello Darlings!

I learned something interesting about snowflakes today. It came from quite an unusual source. It came from a female prisoner inside a prison hospital. I was there visiting 8 ladies - half of whom had cancer.

And so you ask, what in the world was I doing inside prison walls?Those who know me well will not be so surprised. I asked God to find me a hopeless situation that I could bring the light of hope to. I wasn't expecting anything quite THIS drastic, but you know how God works. He is always full of surprises.

My next door neighbor has a ministry at a prison nearby on behalf of a local church. He visits the men in this particular place. One day I asked him if there was any opportunities for women to volunteer. Interestingly enough, a new female ministry had just started visitations to the female division in the hospital inside the prison. I told him to sign me up!

After a lengthy and in depth backround screening, I got approved to visit and yesterday was my first day to experience something I had never done before. I stepped into a world behind bars where some do not get to come back out. Those who do cross back through, can only do so after they have served their time, and have permission to do so. It was a strange feeling to hear the bars slam shut behind me as I stepped into a world of lost souls and those who watch over them.

It took a while to get through those doors. All we were allowed to bring in was our bibles and our drivers license. We had to walk thru a scanner, sign paperwork, and our bibles were searched. We were each assigned a pin number and a badge to go with it. We carried a panic button in the event of emergency.

We were given a tour of the chapel area and its resources. Then we walked across the open grounds to the building designated as the hospital. Different dormitories and buildings dotted the grounds. Long sidewalks criss-crossed the area. It almost looked like a college campus. It was alot less dreary than I was expecting. But the barbed wire was a constant reminder of where we were.

When we finally made it into the female hospital ward the door was locked behind us. I wasn't afraid. After surviving cancer nothing scares me. It was a stark room with 8 beds and patients looking rather miserable and forlorn. I asked God to give me the words to say to each stranger. How do you begin small talk and reach out to someone who you don't know, whose journey you have not shared, and who you have nothing in common with? Or perhaps there was something we all had in common. We all have made mistakes by bad decisions in life.

The first challenge was getting past the suspicious or apathetic looks. One by one I approached each bed. My objective was to simply BE THERE and shine my light as brightly as possible. I decided it did not matter to me why they were there. My mission was to bring God's love to the room. I was not there to preach AT them, I was just there to show I cared and let God work through me. I tried to convey His spirit with sparkling eyes, a big smile, and warm hugs. I weaved "The Word" into personal stories of my own struggles as I listened to theirs.. Each girl responded differently to me but by the time I left they understood that DIVA stood for Doing It Victoriously Always!

And sure enough, God had a surprise for me. One spunky gal I talked to showed me a different perspective of "girlfriend power." I was sharing with her part of the book I am writing called "Born To Be Beautiful." I was explaining how I felt we are each different blueprints of God's love. No two of us are alike and we each are unique masterpieces. "Kind of like snowflakes" I told her. She responded. "Yeah, and snow flakes don't melt if you clump them all together!" How perfect was that! I never knew that about snowflakes.

When I got home I googled information on snowflakes. Sure enough, by God's glorious design, when snowflakes or snow crystals bump into each other there is a glue like liquid which is activated that binds them and makes each stronger by sticking together. Hallelujah! Is God good or what? That's exactly how I feel about girlfriend power and what is driving me to create "The Faith Divas Society."

As I left the prison I thought about what God was showing me through my visit to the prison. Why did He send me out there? It occurred to me that helping women who have lost their way and landed inside prison, was not so far removed from helping women on the outside break free of prisons in the mind, that separate us from God's power and what we were born to do. It's all about making decisions from a position of strength.

I will be returning there with my black and white zebra covered bible with its pink jeweled cross in a few weeks. I think I have alot to learn as I reach out to those ladies with "the way, the truth, and the life" that God offers us all. I have found in my own experience that sometimes it takes being knocked to our knees before we are ready to listen to His whispers to our hearts.

In the meantime I walk towards His purpose for me one step at a time. I pray for His guidance as I bring women together - like snowflakes - to become stronger through understanding His direction for our lives. I hope by helping women to come together for inspiration, education and rejuvenation, we can make a difference in the world and find happiness by finding ourselves in Christ. I believe there is a Faith DIVA inside every woman just waiting to be released.

Have a heavenly day!

Rene





3 comments:

  1. That is sooooo awesome Sister Rene!! How I know those ladies were so blessed and intreged with you!! They couldn't help but see Jesus in you and yet still wondering how could this be How could this woman shine like that! You left a major Jesus impression on them for sure. What a difference you made today in many many many lives. You go girl. I am so proud of you!!
    Love you much

    That was so cool about the snowflake!! Wonder how she knew that? She had done good at one point in her life, I bet then the devil took her on a ride. But then Jesus brought you there to help bring her back!! Glory!

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  2. Girl!!! God has you on a MISSION!!! And I am thankful to be able to join in heart! What an amazing DAY you had with HIM!!!! WOW!

    God knows what is behind each face---in the heart and mind of each child---yes, we are all children to Him who loves us so!

    I loved this! Keep on Rene! God has MUCH more for you!

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  3. You never cease to amaze me! God has a plan for you and for these women and I can't wait to watch it unfold. You are truly a light to their darkened world!

    So proud of you for stepping out in faith!

    Love you Ms. Rene!!!!!!

    it was so wonderful meeting Scarlett the other day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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