“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

A week or so ago I spent my Friday night looking through the cards and sign in sheet from Alexis’ Memorial Service.  As I read the names of all the people who attended I was so very touched : classmates from  elementary school, junior high school,  high school, friends from way back even friends of my sister Kathey,  people I taught with in Amarillo and Garland, my employers and co workers from Dickey’s and Highland Homes.  These were just a few and there were so many more from Alexis, Hailey, Sammy, and Warner’s lives.  As I said my heart was deeply moved. As I read some of the names the recollection of seeing them and hugging their neck surfaced in my mind. That night was a whirlwind of activity seeing so very many faces . Two names on the list brought a smile to my face as I remembered a very special encounter with them and how God moved in both of our lives. I will share that story and then give you an update. I was so very thrilled to see both of them , it had been a few years since we  had seen each other. The mother had bought a home from me in Woodbridge. It was the first home I ever sold by myself and I really thought it might not happen because God spoke to me very clearly and I had to obey. Let’s go back to the spring of 2006…………………………………………………………………........................

New Home sales were a lot of fun and we were doing well. As time went by and I was learning the business I felt more comfortable with my job but I had still not sold anything on my own and that was what I was hoping to do. This would prove to myself that I could take someone through a sale and close the deal.  One Wednesday, a day I always work alone, a girl came in looking for a home for her parents. She needed something that could close fast in the 275,000 range. We had the perfect home sitting on the ground. It was listed at 314,000 but I knew we needed to move it and what incentive I had.  We walked the home and she was very excited thinking her parents would love it. Later she brought them to see it and they were also very interested in the home. It was time to negotiate the deal. The buyer’s name was Liz and she had a list of changes she wanted to make . She had made an offer of 272,000 including the changes. I was getting very excited because I knew I could make this work unless she had some unrealistic change that cost a lot of money. Not only would this be my first sale , my boss at the time said he would bonus me $1000 if I wrote this contract.  She started going down her list and my excitement grew, she really only wanted to repaint some rooms, change the cook top to gas, and put  crown molding in a room. This was going to be the first home I sold all by myself, I was thrilled. Visions of dollar signs were dancing in my head.

As we were talking about paint colors a thought popped into my head telling me to tell her about myself. I just shook away the thought and continued to talk paint. A little later the thought came back and it was much more specific, saying tell her about being a teacher, meth addict, prison, etc. Knowing this could not be from the Lord I started rebuking Satan in my head telling him to get away from me in the name of Jesus. I just knew Satan was trying to steal my sale and my $1,000. But  the thoughts would not stop , this prompt from the Holy Spirit got stronger and stronger. I could not concentrate and my mouth went dry. All I knew was that I had to tell, I just had to be obedient, every sensation was so strong.

I didn’t even know where to interject this, we had not had a personal conversation at all but I knew I had to tell her my story . Liz said she would like to paint the kitchen a color called Autumn Tan and I marked it down and then I just said “ I want to tell you a few things about myself; before I came to work here I was a teacher but then I got addicted to Meth and was sent to prison but now I am clean “ My eyes were downcast as I told her this thinking I was probably going to lose my first sale by telling my potential buyer I was an ex-con and felon. Slowly I raised my eyes up and looked into her face, there were tears streaming down her cheeks. Crying she told me she had a younger brother who was college educated and had been an executive at Dell Computer but he got addicted to Meth and had lost his job and home. She also told me she was a probation officer and had worked as a counselor in Substance Abuse Prison Facility and she had never seen anyone get off meth successfully. She thought God must have sent me that day to give her hope about her brother!!!  I could not believe how God worked that day through me and I almost blew it with my selfishness and greed. Liz did buy the home that day and we became good friends . At the time I thought God would use me as an instrument to save Liz ’s brother but that hasn’t happened ……yet! You never know the plans of God. This was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had. God will use us but we have to be obedient and say “Here I am, send me” or he will send someone else. Don’t miss your moment because you are afraid, God will get you through it!! I was so incredibly blessed that day spiritually, emotionally, and even financially!!  God is so awesome!!

Well that was back in 2006 , in 2010 we were transferred out of Woodbridge and I lost contact with Liz and her daughter , Kendall,  until Alexis’ service. As people were in line saying their condolences I looked up and saw Liz and Kendall . I was so touched they had come because it had been such a long time. Kendall had seen the Memorial at the crash site with Alexis’ name and remembered I had a daughter named Alexis Rose Washington . They came to support me.

Then last Sunday as I was leaving church after the 9:30 service I saw Kendall and smiled but really didn’t have time to talk because I had to get to work. I was so happy to see her at church because I hadn’t seen her there before, she had come one time years before when we first connected but that was it. I was hoping and praying  she would start attending. Then on Tuesday when I picked up Riley from VBS I ran into her again and she told me she felt moved by Alexis’ service and last week was her first time to visit the church and she planned to come back. Her children really enjoyed it and she had even signed them up for VBS. As I walked away I thought back to each encounter and how God used the death of my Alexis Rose to prompt a young mother and her family to start coming to church , to engage in relationship. I thought to how my greatest desire is for something good to come from Alexis’ death and I think it has and will continue. I will be intentional to make her feel welcome and I am even going to invite her to our hometeam even though she isn’t an addict. A lot of people who aren’t addicts come to our group, it’s all about recovery and we all are recovering from something. The other great thing about our group is we are real , we just don’t pretend. We walk in truth and light therefore we walk in freedom. God is so good to show me this story that has been evolving since 2006. What a beautiful view : )))