Not everyone knows about Jesus. It still surprises me to find that to be true. While I grew up going to Sunday and Wednesday church services, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Countless others did not. While I know Him personally and He walks with me each day, to some He is an unknown person, a stranger they have heard little about.

A new rehab for women has opened in our area. We watched and prayed as the building was being remodeled, the employees were assembled, and women began to arrive. Most were court-ordered so they came straight from various jails. The new supervisor—a dear friend—asked if some of our jail ministry team could come to teach and love on the women there. The answer was a hearty “YES!”

Some faces there are familiar: girls we have met at our county jail. We love seeing them NOT in orange or tan scrubs. It’s a huge step up. No longer a thin mat on a cell floor, they now have real beds to sleep in. They have couches and chairs where they can lounge and private bathrooms. Oh, there are plenty of restrictions which they need. They’re working with counselors, making great strides for a drug-free future.

On Sunday, we met Mary (not her real name), who had just arrived from a jail many hours away. When we introduced ourselves and explained why we were there she began to wipe her eyes. As Becky—on our ministry team—began sharing her testimony, the tears flowed freely. (We passed around a roll of toilet paper.)

Reminding women who are down and out that Jesus still loves them is an important thing. They often feel like He couldn’t possibly. So many broken promises on their part would surely have driven Him away. Forever. We have the privilege of encouraging them to turn to or back to the One who loved them enough to die for them.

After the lesson, Becky and I spoke privately with Mary. She had many questions. She had been carrying around an AA book with prayers in it. She read them every day but still had a deep yearning in her heart. From other things she told us, it was clear that the Lord was drawing her to Him. He was working puzzle pieces together in amazing ways. She called them coincidences, but we knew better.

“How will I know when it speaks to me?” Mary asked.

Becky quickly answered, “The first thing you need to know is there is no ‘it.’ There is a ‘He’ that speaks to you.”

“You mean it’s GOD that has been speaking to me? That’s HIM?!” She was completely stunned.

“Yes!” we said together.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” she cried. “I will never forget you for telling me!” Mary squealed with more tears.

Though excited at the news, Mary was not ready to ask Jesus to come into her heart. We gave her a Bible and look forward to seeing her again in a few days.

We don’t just need Jesus to go to heaven; we need Him for everyday life. We are all sinners in need of a Savior!

This morning, I dropped off a pair of strong reading glasses to Mary. (She had left hers at the jail on the other side of the state.) They just happened to be the same color as her mohawk and the shirt she was wearing.

“Look! They match!” she announced, “That was not a coincidence!”

Written by Dawn Reed.