This past Tuesday Minneapolis was reported as the hottest place in the world with a heat index of 118 degrees. Needless to say, this made it difficult to exercise outside. When the temperature cooled off on Thursday, I was excited to be running in comfortable weather. I was close to ending my run as I passed a neighbor who was sitting on her porch. I had time before the next thing on my schedule so I stopped to introduce myself. I not only learned her name, but much of her story. Without much probing, I learned that Toni has experienced more hurt and pain than anyone I've met. She was beaten as a little girl, left her family at 12 years old, worked as everything from a dairy farmer to a waitress between the ages of 12 and 15, was raped at 15 and worked as a prostitute for a few years after that. She finally saved enough money to move to Minneapolis, buy a house, raise 12 kids and earn a master's degree in counseling psychology. And all this was revealed in response to the question, "How did you become an atheist?"
I am powerless to change this woman's hardened heart. But my god is all powerful. My faith is in him. I'm praying for the next time I talk with Toni.
"Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you."
Jeremiah 32:17
