God keeps opening doors.... tonight I decided to walk though it, reluctantly, but steadily.
I'm at an Assistive Technology conference in Houston and the patio to my hotel room opens up to the pool area. So about 11 when the crowd died down I decided to go for a short swim and enjoy some time in the hot tub, return to my room and finish my assignments for this week. But God had another plan!
As soon as I put down my towel and room key, two ladies offered a beer to me. It was easy to politely decline their offer. One lady very clearly asked me, "Why not, you got some kind of restriction or something?" I smiled and explained (not wanting to really "get into it" that it was a self-imposed restriction. She said she wanted to learn more about that XXXX!!
About that time her friend suggested I get in the hot tub. So I told her I would, but I needed to get a short swim workout in. So I did that and went to the hot tub. Both of them came over and got in the hot tub with me, and again offered me a beer! I kindly declined the offer again. And she persisted with, "Ok you gotta tell me more about this." So it begins.
I explained that it had a lot to do with my life experience. I shared a brief version of my mother using drugs and giving me away at 3 weeks of age. I also shared that I have a very "addictive" tendencies. No matter what I like or love, I can't get enough of it. I shared with her my experiences in college and how I saw my friends (and I) drinking and making poor choices at times. I also told her that it wasn't so much my personality that was the reason for me deciding not to drink. But that when I was drinking in college, I knew I wasn't being true. I explained that it was a commitment I made when I was 12 to follow Jesus Christ. This poor lady was feeling pretty free and happy, and Im sure she was quite intoxicated. But I felt the presence of God all over me! So the next thing she says is, "so you think that if you take a drink of this beer you are going to die or something because...." I told her that it wasn't like that... and that... that this thing I have with God is not like a religion, but a relationship. And that I love Him and just like any good relationship, and I didn't want to disappoint Him. Well it did not stop there.
She asked me about my eyes and told me that one day I'd have a husband who would tease me about having a wandering eye...! LOL! I had to laugh and this was good for us to laugh together. She went on for a couple of minutes about the husband I'd have one day.... oh gee! So when she took a pause, I told her that I am married and have been for 13 years and that we had 2 kids.
So then, it really gets spicy, saucy, or whatever!
I don't know how we went from talking about not drinking, a relationship with Jesus Christ, to sex, but we did! So the other lady who has been very quiet up to this point, asks me if I have ever had sex with anyone else besides my husband. And the answer is, no, only with my husband.
So the first lady kinda starts getting a little louder at this point! She begins to tell me that I am wrong, that she feel sorry for me that I have not had more men. She even asks me what if I find out Richard has been unfaithful, and that I realized I had "wasted" all those years with him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried to tell her that I would hope and pray that if that were to happen that God would give me the grace and the strength to handle it, but I did not get that chance. She proceeded to explain that I have been very successful in my life wit ha husband and two kids and so I had done my duty!!! And asked me why did I think I needed God?
To this I told her that God has been very good to me, I could have just died as a baby, etc. I was interrupted at that point.... with
her story of how her mom had aborted several babies before she was born. I told her she was a miracle. But all she said was that her mom was a fertile "BXXXX." I again told her she was a miracle. I was about to tell her that God had a plan for her life and the He loves her. But then some guys came and got in the pool... and she started hitting on the first lady. That lady left the tub as they did not know each other at all!!! The men came with more beer and the language was getting reeeaaalllly bad.... and the bubbles turned off in the hot tub. I offered to go turn them on (and did) but at the same time decided to excuse myself. I said my goodbyes and wished them a "blessed" evening!
I went over to get my towel and room key. But they were gone. I searched around for a few minutes and found the key on the ground a little ways from the chair I had put it on..... about that time the lady who had left came up and opened the pool gate for me. She smiled at me and said she hoped I had a great life.... I smiled back and wished her the same.
She was the quiet one in the tub but I could tell she was listening, doubting maybe, but wanting to believe.
I got to my room and was excited that the Lord had given me the boldness to share my faith, to stand even when the one lady was basically telling me I was wrong, felt sorry for me, etc... But on the other hand I was thinking that I did not get to the point to where I could actually tell them that they can have this same relationship with Jesus, etc....
I do know I believe I spoke the words given to me... and I'm broken for these ladies. One seemed pretty sure that she was just fine, the other, maybe not so sure - now, now that she had heard my testimony. I'm not sure if this encounter was for one, the other, or both of them, or just to strengthen my faith. But I am exceedingly joyful and yet concerned for their souls.
I'm at an Assistive Technology conference in Houston and the patio to my hotel room opens up to the pool area. So about 11 when the crowd died down I decided to go for a short swim and enjoy some time in the hot tub, return to my room and finish my assignments for this week. But God had another plan!
As soon as I put down my towel and room key, two ladies offered a beer to me. It was easy to politely decline their offer. One lady very clearly asked me, "Why not, you got some kind of restriction or something?" I smiled and explained (not wanting to really "get into it" that it was a self-imposed restriction. She said she wanted to learn more about that XXXX!!
About that time her friend suggested I get in the hot tub. So I told her I would, but I needed to get a short swim workout in. So I did that and went to the hot tub. Both of them came over and got in the hot tub with me, and again offered me a beer! I kindly declined the offer again. And she persisted with, "Ok you gotta tell me more about this." So it begins.
I explained that it had a lot to do with my life experience. I shared a brief version of my mother using drugs and giving me away at 3 weeks of age. I also shared that I have a very "addictive" tendencies. No matter what I like or love, I can't get enough of it. I shared with her my experiences in college and how I saw my friends (and I) drinking and making poor choices at times. I also told her that it wasn't so much my personality that was the reason for me deciding not to drink. But that when I was drinking in college, I knew I wasn't being true. I explained that it was a commitment I made when I was 12 to follow Jesus Christ. This poor lady was feeling pretty free and happy, and Im sure she was quite intoxicated. But I felt the presence of God all over me! So the next thing she says is, "so you think that if you take a drink of this beer you are going to die or something because...." I told her that it wasn't like that... and that... that this thing I have with God is not like a religion, but a relationship. And that I love Him and just like any good relationship, and I didn't want to disappoint Him. Well it did not stop there.
She asked me about my eyes and told me that one day I'd have a husband who would tease me about having a wandering eye...! LOL! I had to laugh and this was good for us to laugh together. She went on for a couple of minutes about the husband I'd have one day.... oh gee! So when she took a pause, I told her that I am married and have been for 13 years and that we had 2 kids.
So then, it really gets spicy, saucy, or whatever!
I don't know how we went from talking about not drinking, a relationship with Jesus Christ, to sex, but we did! So the other lady who has been very quiet up to this point, asks me if I have ever had sex with anyone else besides my husband. And the answer is, no, only with my husband.
So the first lady kinda starts getting a little louder at this point! She begins to tell me that I am wrong, that she feel sorry for me that I have not had more men. She even asks me what if I find out Richard has been unfaithful, and that I realized I had "wasted" all those years with him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried to tell her that I would hope and pray that if that were to happen that God would give me the grace and the strength to handle it, but I did not get that chance. She proceeded to explain that I have been very successful in my life wit ha husband and two kids and so I had done my duty!!! And asked me why did I think I needed God?
To this I told her that God has been very good to me, I could have just died as a baby, etc. I was interrupted at that point.... with
her story of how her mom had aborted several babies before she was born. I told her she was a miracle. But all she said was that her mom was a fertile "BXXXX." I again told her she was a miracle. I was about to tell her that God had a plan for her life and the He loves her. But then some guys came and got in the pool... and she started hitting on the first lady. That lady left the tub as they did not know each other at all!!! The men came with more beer and the language was getting reeeaaalllly bad.... and the bubbles turned off in the hot tub. I offered to go turn them on (and did) but at the same time decided to excuse myself. I said my goodbyes and wished them a "blessed" evening!
I went over to get my towel and room key. But they were gone. I searched around for a few minutes and found the key on the ground a little ways from the chair I had put it on..... about that time the lady who had left came up and opened the pool gate for me. She smiled at me and said she hoped I had a great life.... I smiled back and wished her the same.
She was the quiet one in the tub but I could tell she was listening, doubting maybe, but wanting to believe.
I got to my room and was excited that the Lord had given me the boldness to share my faith, to stand even when the one lady was basically telling me I was wrong, felt sorry for me, etc... But on the other hand I was thinking that I did not get to the point to where I could actually tell them that they can have this same relationship with Jesus, etc....
I do know I believe I spoke the words given to me... and I'm broken for these ladies. One seemed pretty sure that she was just fine, the other, maybe not so sure - now, now that she had heard my testimony. I'm not sure if this encounter was for one, the other, or both of them, or just to strengthen my faith. But I am exceedingly joyful and yet concerned for their souls.
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