Love Broke Through

by: dennis

edited: author’s sister

s-e-v-e-n. ain’t it a wonder how writing about your story can bring healing, put your past to rest, and set you moving forward to the future? here I am continuing on, and this one is part two from last week.

on that road trip, in 2016, God showed up.

how?

well, before we begin. a little backstory to set the scene. I arrived at my bed and breakfast in New Orleans and I had a nice afternoon meal with them. they were told me different stories about the city and what you could do around town. at one point we looked at the map of the city and they mentioned how you can take the trolley to different parts of New Orleans. they told me how the trolley is available pretty late through the evening, I think the last one was after midnight. which they said was a little more risky at that time, since most people would be home by then anyways. I was warned about the last couple of stops the trolley went to, and heard about the “street” to not go on. it was a bad part of town. there was a shooting that had happened the week prior and somebody was killed on that street, I believe. they recommended me to go anywhere, but there. that set off my curiosity.

I took the trolley. to the second to last stop, plus or minus. found myself on the street that they had advised me not to go on. took a walk down. encountered some bouncers. realized that there was more to this street than just bars. this was the red light district of New Orleans. where fun was called spending time with a prostitute.

thought about how just one week ago, someone shot at somebody else. thought about how risky this could be, especially later in the night. thought about how I shouldn’t come back to this street. that I could walk away and go explore another part of the city.

as I continued to think about these things, I walked the entire length of the street down and found a place to eat, at a hot dog restaurant. got myself something to eat and pondered on what to do. do I go back there? do I ignore the street for the rest of the night and just sit around in different bars listening to jazz? more and more, as I slowly realized what I was deciding to do, a sadness came over me as I thought about the reality of going back to that street.

went back. looked at the signs. a neon sign in bright red caught my attention. the name of the place: Temptation. what an interesting name, and how fitting. truly a temptation from the devil. what a fleshly desire it is to be lustful. they checked my ID and just like that, I was in. found a seat and shortly later I was greeted by a woman. soon she offered a private dance. I agreed. she went to the host managing the payments for the lap dances. I then got up from where I was sitting and as I was walking to where she was, I saw a vision.

a vision? here? now? in this place? what? how? why?

I saw a vision, that day, at that moment, in the last place I would ever expect to see one. and I will never forget it for as long as I live.

this vision appeared to me as if from behind me on my right side. and it was as if I was walking away from the vision.

I saw Yeshua standing in a white robe, with long brown hair. head tilted down slightly. looking at me with sadness in His eyes. with a tear rolling down His cheek.

it felt as if the world came to a pause at that moment. I realized I had another chance to change my mind. that I didn’t have to follow through with the dance.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t stop me. He didn’t force me to turn to Him. nonetheless, there was a message that I received that day. words did not need to be spoken. I realized how much He longed for me with love. I had the impression that He was warning me that this decision to have a dance with a prostitute was going to impact my life in a very negative way. that this was going to be worse than watching pornography, spiritually speaking. but I didn’t know how and what.

I considered all of this in that moment. couldn’t find the courage to say no, to tell her that I changed my mind. I stored away the vision in my mind and went with her like a slave.

now, as I think about this vision. and the timing of it. and where I received it. I think about how this didn’t fit my logic of how God would reach out to me. God’s ways are far higher than man’s. and God’s ways confound the ways of man.

God’s desire for us to return to Him is far greater than we can ever imagine or comprehend. His love for us surpasses our knowledge and understanding.

praise God that He never gives up on us. praise God that He will reach out when we least expect Him. praise God that His love is everlasting. He endures from generation to generation.

may you experience God’s love that surpasses your knowledge as you walk with Him. may you see Him move in your life in ways that you don’t expect.

until then, be in peace.