When I took the break position at Iowa Health, I had no idea what God had planned. Sometimes I picture God up in heaven, just chuckling at me, saying, "Oh Lauren, you can try and make plans... but wait until you see what I have planned for you!!!" Yes, Lord, it is always way better than anything I could have ever imagined.
This story is not about me. It's about HIM. His power, glory, and works.
When I started working for Iowa Health, I met a beautiful girl named Caitlin. When I first met her, we started talking, and I totally felt like a huge dork. I was telling her about myself; I'm married, I'm 21, and I attended a Bible college...not things to be ashamed of, but things that are possibly dorky to a super-cool 20-something. She's gorgeous, and I was intimidated.
A few days later, we were watching kids on the playground and she walked up to me and said, "Hey, where do you go to church?" I told her about how I'd just started going to Willow Creek and how great it was. She asked if she could come with me sometime, I of course said yes! We spent the next few days talking, hanging out, planning a jewelry party (haha, that bombed!), etc. She was unsaved. She had a hard life. She had a lot of pain.
As we became closer as friends, the more I knew about her, the more I thought, "God, you brought me this amazing person. Help me to show her YOU." So many of the things she had experienced, I had, too. I love moments when you realize, "Hey, that excruciating pain I experienced back then is something I can use to help someone now!!! Thank you, God, for Your perfect plan!!!"
She began attending church with us regularly and met some great people who immediately loved and had a burden for her, just like I did. She did a Tuesday night bible study with them, and a Thursday night bible study with me and my cousin, Jessica. Caitlin was so thirsty for God!
I can't even begin to explain how cool it was to see. Someone so hurt and lost, and now so happy and receptive to God's word! She's the coolest person in the world. I'll never forget when I gave her her own bible. When I saw her later in the day, she said, "I've already read the first 10 pages!"
Many things happened in the months that followed. God changed her heart, mind, and LIFE!
About a month and a half ago, Caitlin tells me she got saved. I was like, "What???!?!?! When????" She said she had prayed one night a while back while she was in her room alone. I asked her why she didn't say anything sooner, she said, "I didn't know if I was supposed to keep it a secret!"
At this point, our whole church had heard of Caitlin and had fallen in love with her and was praying with her. Obviously, everyone was so excited to hear that she got saved!
The next Sunday was a baptismal service. I whispered to her, "You should get baptized now!" She was like, "I don't think I could ever get up the nerve to do that!!!"
Fast forward to now. Here are some photos I took on Sunday, January 11, 2009:
