I have heard it said that nothing good comes out of Picayune, MS., that it is just a small & insignificant town with a high teen pregnancy rate and a hub for drugs. Well, I beg to differ...
A while back I had the privilege of listening to a dear friend in her very first radio interview promoting the publishing of her 1st devotional book for women. As I listened to her talk about the journey that led to the fruition of the book I couldn't help but think of times that we had experienced. I began to think about where she had come from, where she was and where she was going! As I continued to listen my heart became overwhelmed with pride and love and I was honored to call her my friend. I started to think about my own life and where I had come from and I began to think of all the amazing women that I am surrounded by every day, my inner circle, the ones I call my 'Godfriends'! I thought about each friend and the journey they have traveled. Where they had come from, where they are now and where the Lord is taking them and my heart became filled with joy and I thought... "Who ever said Picayune is insignificant? Great things are coming out of Picayune"!
So who are the Great Women of today? Where have we come from and where are we going?
We are 'Our Father's Daughters', we are the lineage of the Mothers of Old, and we glean of the wisdom gained from each one. Wisdom such as that of Hannah, the 'Barren Woman', Naomi, the 'Widow', Ruth, the 'Faithful Servant', Esther, the 'Chosen Queen' and even the wisdom to be gained from the lives of Gomer, the 'Harlot' and Rahab, 'Prostitute'. They were mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. Like us, they experienced times of grief & sorrow, shame, insecurity, heartache and rejection. Just like us they dwelt in Egypt for a time, they had a Jordan to cross over and a promised land to inherit. Each one had a story to tell, wisdom to offer and each one played a strategic role in the lineage of Jesus Christ and of us. We are following in the footsteps of an army of Warrior Brides who have gone before us and left their mark on the pages of history.
What could take a young woman having been abused or neglected by men who vowed to love her, from a place of brokenness into a place of wholeness? What could take a broken heart that once grieved so bad the pain of living seemed unbearable and turn it into a place where healing waters have made joy and laughter its song? And what could take a mind filled with questions and doubts, fears and uncertainty and make it a place where God's Grace has become its Anthem...NOTHING BUT THE HEALING HAND OF A MIGHTY GOD HAS DONE THIS!!!...these are the places from which we've come, they are our Egypt, our Crossing over the Jordan and they have lead us into our Promised Land. It is a Beautiful land flowing with springs of joy and laughter and a place where the cry of brokenness has become our captivating dance of redemption ...and the best is yet to come!!!
Yes, I'd say..."Great things are coming out of Picayune"!!!
GREATER THINGS HAVE YET TO COME, GREATER THINGS HAVE YET TO BE DONE IN THIS CITY!!!
Posted with permission: taken from Life Signs Magazine Summer 2011 RLM
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