"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10
"Wake up. Get your Sewing Machine and go give it to Christine."
I woke up, sat straight up in bed and looked to see if my husband was talking to me, he was sound asleep. I knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me.
Sitting on the side of the bed, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and did my best to convince God he must have made a mistake and surely He meant to wake someone else for this assignment.
I whined like a spoiled little kid crying to her Daddy, "Lord, why would I give my Sewing Machine to Christine? That doesn't make sense. I love my Sewing Machine, I don't want to give her my Sewing Machine! It's MY Sewing Machine!"
Then I heard in my spirit; GO NOW and give Christine your Sewing Machine!
I got up, got dressed, packed up my Sewing Machine and headed out the door on an assignment from God. I had no idea what or why, but I have learned when I hear from God to PRAY and OBEY!
I drove fifteen minutes across town parked the truck and lugged my Sewing Machine up Three flights of stairs.
Christine was one of our new tenants who lived in an apartment building we owned. I didn't know much about her except that she had health issues and was disabled.
I knocked on the door and Christine hollered from inside, "Who is it?"
It's me, the Landlord Donna.
When Christine opened the door a thick cloud of smoke billowed out of the apartment. A cigarette hung from her bottom lip and the smell of whiskey mixed with the cigarette smoke about knocked me back down the stairs!
She peered at me like a bug with thick coke bottle glasses that magnified her crossed eyes. It made it hard for me to know where to look to talk to her.
In her dirty bare feet and bathrobe she snapped; "What do you want?"
I told her, I don't know why, but I believe God told me to come over here right now and give you this Sewing Machine!
I didn't think her eyes could bug out any bigger but they did!
She screamed and started bawling hysterical! She grabbed the Sewing Machine, grabbed me and started jumping up and down. She was blubbering something and I couldn't understand a word she was saying.
I made her sit down. I got her a glass of water and some tissues. I made her take some deep breaths so I could understand what she was saying.
In between tears and puffs off her cigarette she told me; "Right before you knocked on the door I was getting ready to kill myself!"
She showed me the pills she had lined up to take with all the whiskey she had drunk. She was writing a goodbye note to her son.
She had decided she had nothing to live for and felt her life was worthless. She made a decision an hour ago to end her life.
Christine told me that a few years before she had gotten very sick and lost her job, her home and all of her belongings. She and her son ended up destitute and homeless living on the streets.
Recently she qualified for Disability and was able to get assistance to move into this tiny studio apartment. Although she was grateful to have a home she didn't feel productive or useful since she could no longer do what she loved to do.
So she cried out to God to help give her a reason to live.
That's when I knocked on her door.
I asked Christine what her job was before she got sick and lost everything?
She told me she was a Seamstress!
Glory to God! She was a Seamstress!!!
Christine wept as she told me how she had to sell her Sewing Machine and other belongings for she and her son to survive when they lived on the streets. She always prayed someday, somehow she would be able to have another Sewing Machine.
That day, God gave Christine the desires of her heart.
Before I left we prayed and Christine gave her heart to Jesus!
The next week Christine opened her tiny apartment for me to hold weekly Bible studies.
We all donated scraps of material and sewing supplies. Every square inch of her little apartment was redecorated with home sewn curtains, slipcovers and tablecloths.
She started her own business where she made crafts and clothes to sell for extra income as well as gifts for everyone who lived in the building and came to our Bible study.
I even bought her new eyeglasses! Christine was a new woman recreated in Christ! She found her purpose. Christine was full of the Joy of the Lord and shared Jesus with everyone she met!
Who knew a Sewing Machine could save someones life?
God did.
Would Christine have killed herself that day had I not been obedient to the voice of the Lord?
Only God knows that answer. But I am so thankful to be used by God to have been able to give something to someone that could change and save their life.
Yes the Sewing Machine was a gift, but I'm talking about giving the gift of salvation and Jesus Christ!
Jesus is a gift for us to share with everyone we meet.
The Sewing Machine was a tool used to introduce Christine to Jesus.
It is Jesus who saved Christine's life that day.
Jesus is the one who mended her heart and stitched her life back together!
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!
Donna Selma Lind 💗
