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The Unfailing Love of the Father
my heart to receive him . I was sick in my body and was making many visits to the doctor . Out of nowhere , at about seven o ’ clock in the morning , a strange lady from the neighborhood came to the house where I was staying . She knocked and they let her in . She was known as a Jesus freak , so most people stayed away from her . I was also told to stay away from her because she was crazy . But for some reason , they let her in the house . I was in the wash room at the time . I was preparing to go to the doctor because of stomach ulcers that left me in a great deal of pain daily . She began to talk and said that as she was passing the house she felt a tremendous chest pain and whoever that is God wants to heal them . Everyone looked crazy because they knew I had been really sick . They called me out of the bathroom , but I would not come . The woman said , “ That ’ s okay because God moves by his Spirit .” She prayed and left . I chucked it up to a crazy experience . In the meanwhile , I went to the doctor and they could not find any problems anymore . I also realized that I was no longer in pain . It took about two weeks , but I finally mustered up the courage to go and find the “ crazy ” lady . I took two friends with me and we found her . I knocked on the door and she opened it with a smile on her face and said to me “ I was waiting on you .”
I was completely shocked . She invited us in and started to talk to us . She looked at me and said , “ Hold on to this garbage can .” I reluctantly and confusingly held on to it while she talked to the other ladies . I held on to the garbage for about two hours . She finally looked at me and said , “ Are you still holding on to that garbage can ? That is what you are holding onto in your life — a bunch of garbage .” She snatched the garbage away from me and said , “ That is what you are holding onto in your life — a bunch of garbage all because someone told you to .” She said , “ You are so ignorant that God is going to have to take it from you .” She said that God had a plan for my life and that his plan was good for me . She explained how blessed I was going to be and she did not lie . Everything she said I live in today .
The Love of My Life
After that day God began to open many doors in my life . One door led me to church and I gave my life to him . God took everyone out of my life that was not good for me or his purpose for my life . Every door that opened I ran through . At the time I didn ’ t know what I was doing and I didn ’ t know God ’ s character , but he said he was going to help me and I believed him . Anything that looked like help I ran after it .
All of this happened in a four month period — May to August
1994 . I went back to school . I had dropped out of school in 11 th grade . I earned my GED and enrolled in community college to study cosmetology . At end of 1995 I was preparing to graduate and went to work in a salon owned by a Christian woman . She would have bible studies after business hours . One day after bible study when everyone had left , I went away to myself to have a conversation with God . I said , “ God if you are real , and I believe you are , listen . I am not use to loving and giving to someone I can ’ t see or feel . But , if you will teach me , I will live for you for the rest of my life . God I will run after you .” From that moment on , God began to reveal to me his heart towards me . Needless to say , I fell in love with my God and Jesus Christ . This was amazing . All I could think about was I had no idea that this was even possible . I was in awe and wanted to tell everyone about him . I did not know that a relationship with the Creator of the universe was possible . But most importantly , He longed to fellowship with me . I felt love so powerful . I was inspired and completely dedicated to his cause . After all how could I not want to give myself back to him , after all he had done ? It all started to make sense . I began by the aid of the Holy Spirit to piece all of the pieces together . I cried and wept many days . God loved me that much that he gave his only son , Jesus . I began to reflect on decisions I made before I knew of his love and I was overwhelmed with sorrow . I repented over and over again . I found out that he was there all the time . When I thought of his love and holiness , it was amazing . After all that was said and done , I knew that it was good that I had went through those uncomfortable situations in my life . It was those things that allowed me to come in relationship with the love of my life , the Father , my God and my strength . Knowing how the Father loved me , I knew that I could not walk in unforgiveness . I made it my goal to give that love to others that I received from the Father . Today I love my parents and others not because of what they did or did not do but because of who they are , just as the Lord loved me . To love and to forgive is to be free . Things are great all because of the unfailing love of the Father towards me . Now I can see my future through different eyes . Eyes that have been healed from rejection and abandonment .
Katrinna Harris is a resident of Olympia Fields , Illinois . She is the wife of Lethaniel Harris Jr . and the mother of four beautiful children . Katrinna went back to school to receive her cosmetology teacher certification and went on to own her own beauty salon . She is currently in school studying to be a medical doctor .
Spring 2013 / The Well Magazine 31