Exciting Trip to Target

Today as I headed into Target I heard a girl say "Mrs McAnulty!" and saw a couple of former students sitting on a bench. I headed over to chat, and what a wonderful chat it was.

About 10 years ago, the Christian mother of this girl (I'll call her Ashley), came with a friend to a Bible study at our church. She had just found out she had ovarian cancer. Fast forward a few years, and I worked at Memorial Middle School. "Ashley's" brother went to live with their dad because their mother was dying of cancer, and he registered at our school. The mother soon died, and in spite of our efforts to help the boy, he got involved with drugs and got expelled from school. A few years later, Ashley came to our school. Dad was not very attentive, and Ashley was headed down the wrong path too. Knowing that she had a godly mother, and having lost my mother as well, I always had a soft spot for Ashley and prayed often for her and her brother.

Ashley went on to high school and continued to be involved with drugs and the wrong people. I'm not sure if she dropped out or got kicked out of school, but she didn't graduate.

When I saw her today, she looked great, so different from the sullen angry girl I knew in middle school. She told me she got her GED and was getting A's in her classes at Linn-Benton, and also working at a local restaurant. As we were talking she mentioned a friend who I know is a out-spoken Christian. They certainly hadn't hung out together in middle school! I mentioned that I hadn't realized they were friends and she said they are best friends now, and she has given her life to Jesus and given up all of her old bad ways! She said her dad also got saved, "But he still isn't quite living like he should!"

I was so excited! I told her I have been praying for her and her brother, and I know her mother's friends have been praying for them too. Her mother has been gone for seven years now, but I feel very strongly that God honors the prayers of a mother for her children. Then another Christian friend who used to be our library aide came along and I got to tell her that Ashley is living for Jesus now!

It was so exciting to talk to her and see and hear the changes that have taken place. Praise God that he heals broken lives!