Cookie

Weighing heavy on my heart over the past few days has been a woman called, Cookie. Recently when I read "Crazy Love", the question was posed, "could you love someone who doesn't love you back?" I didn't give it too much thought, because come on, who couldn't love me? :) Okay, all joking aside, let me pose a new question: could you love someone who loves alcohol more than themselves? I have only met Cookie twice. The first time she shared with me that she had a problem with alcohol. The second time I could have gotten drunk myself off of her breath. She has such a problem with alcohol that as I spoke with her she wandered down the street to begin "work" as she tried to sell her body, most likely so she could buy more booze. The crazy thing is that I DO love her. She is the embodiment of everything I want to keep my children away from, yet we drove downtown to find her, hug her, and encourage our children to shake her hand. My struggle is this: Cookie can't wait to "go home to be with [her] LORD", but right now she is here on earth degrading her body-God's temple-in ways that are so unimaginable to me. She asks me to keep praying for her, because she says it's working. Even though it wouldn't appear to be the case, I can never know how God will move inside of her. I will continue to pray for her, and if God moves your heart to do so, I would ask you to do the same.

Let me leave you with some words from Amy Grant's new song, that speak so beautifully to the mess that is Cookie:

God loves a lullaby

In a mothers tears in the dead of night

Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

God loves the drunkards cry,

The soldiers plea not to let him die

Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries

God just hears a melody

Beautiful the mess we are

The honest cries of breaking hearts

Are better than a Hallelujah.

The woman holding on for life,

The dying man giving up the fight 

Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what's been done,

The silence when the words won't come

Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries

God just hears a melody

Beautiful the mess we are 

The honest cries of breaking hearts

Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing,

Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

We pour out our miseries

God just hears a melody

Beautiful the mess we are 

The honest cries of breaking hearts

Are better than a Hallelujah

Cookie is honest about who she is. She doesn't try to hide anything from God or others. God loves her regardless of her problems, which I am so thankful for. Because, who doesn't have some problems.