At the sound of her voice, I figured she was young. Energy and enthusiasm born from her love for the Lord bubbled up from her heart and burst forth from her lips. She was calling to give a praise report, and I was eager to hear Vonda’s story.
“Did you grow up in a Christian home?” I asked as an icebreaker.
“Oh, yes. I live with my parents who love the Lord, and who have told us three kids that their goal as parents was to prepare us for eternity in His Presence. I’ve grown up being taught that God’s Word was a light to my path—His word would keep me on His path of everlasting life. We were surrounded daily by our parents quoting and teaching us Scripture. For certain, our family motto has always been Hosea 10:12, ‘Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.’ Our childhood was a happy time with our Mom and Dad. We love them and they love us.”
I sensed a slight giggle of joy in her voice as she shared memories of her family’s involvement in church activities, being taught to be responsive to the pastor with the appropriately-timed “Amen” during the sermon, joining with joyful hearts to sing praises to the Lord, and the many swapped stories of God’s blessings shared after the service at the church fellowship dinner. Her life had been good and satisfying until her late teens.
“Oh, J. D., the enemy of our souls is real and he works to deceive us through others. I met a young man named Darnell who wooed me earnestly, and swept me off my feet. He wasn’t a Christian, but I was convinced he loved me. My parents were adamantly opposed to our relationship, and warned me about boundaries and the consequences of poor choices. But a web of deception was ingeniously designed and woven tightly around my emotions. I began sassing my parents—yelling at them in disrespect—saying, ‘What do y’all know about this? Times are different. I’m old enough to make my own decisions. We’re in love!’ Once I said that, I began to believe that lie and entered into the darkness of deception.
“I moved in with Darnell. He isolated me from my family and friends, and soon was controlling my every action—he wouldn’t allow me to see anyone from my past. I felt separated from the Lord, too, and it was like I was an orphan. Darnell treated me as his slave. I wanted to escape his clutches, but didn’t know how to get away. Somehow, he was always a step ahead of me and kept a tight reign over my actions. I was so miserable.
“But, one day I remembered what my parents had taught me, which was when you find yourself in a situation where you feel trapped, simply cry out to Jesus, ‘Help, Lord!’ And I began to cry out for His help over and over again. I started praying once more and sensed there was light at the end of the tunnel. As I began recalling the Scriptures my parents had taught me, 2 Chronicles 30:9 came to my mind, ‘…The Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.’ I prayed for His favor, and gradually, my mind started working better.
“As I became stronger in the Lord, I felt brave enough to start quoting Scripture to Darnell. It really confused him. He got tired of my actions in a hurry, and started saying things like he felt I was holding him back, and had become a weight around his neck. The more I quoted Scripture, the less control he had over me. He felt hassled by my presence, and yelled louder and louder, asking where all this Scripture was coming from. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind Nehemiah 8:10 (AMPC), ‘…Be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.’ Now that was a Scripture I didn’t remember hearing previously in my lifetime, and I felt I was truly hearing the Voice of the Lord.
“I quietly prayed, ‘Help, Lord, I know You hear me, I know You love me, I know good spiritual seed was sown years ago and I know it is growing and adding blades and fruit. Thank You for dropping Your Word into my thinking. Thank You for hearing my pleading. Help me, Jesus!’
“Darnell burst through the door one day, threw a few pieces of my clothing at me, and told me in no uncertain terms that I needed to get out of his apartment before he came back. Screaming obscenities at me, he said he never wanted to see me or hear from me again. Then he slammed the door with such force that it frightened me.
“I fell to my knees sobbing in relief and remembered Philippians 4:4 (NIV), ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’ And you can believe that I was rejoicing that my Lord had opened the way of escaping my several-month-long ordeal.”
As I listened to Vonda, my heart was smiling. Then, she did something precious. From memory, Vonda quoted Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Although Vonda briefly turned her back on the Lord and her family, God still had a place set for her at His table—just waiting for her return. Now she is safely home, sitting back in her place at her family’s table, and has rejoined the fellowship table with her church family, as well. She is a bold witness for the Lord, sharing His love wherever she goes, and quoting the family motto, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12.
Vonda knows the up-close-and-personal presence of God. She knows He sees. He hears. He cares. He acts. She is so thankful to be back in her place at the table God has prepared for her.
