After the incident in May, the storm of emotions blowing through our home subsided. We were able to move on and move forward with our summer vacation plans to visit family. You were still temporarily restricted from certain privileges as a consequence of your actions, yet this loss nor the length of it did much for changing your heart. We were only able to come up for air and make just a few good memories together before having to go back into the trenches. You took advantage of my parents and crossed the very same line again. I was so frustrated, Lucy. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why the Internet and access to these certain websites were more important than the relationships with this family God had given you...that you claimed you had always wanted. I believed the Lord's promise to deliver all of you, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to hold on to with every storm that blew in. God heard the groans of my spirit, however, and gave me the most incredible dream:
We were hosting a birthday party at our house for one of your brothers, when two Arabic boys were dropped off by their very kind dad. Because things were very chaotic, he thoughtfully handed me a piece of paper with all of their information on it and told me to call when we were ready for the kids to be picked up. As I wrap up the party and get things cleaned up, I suddenly realize how late it was getting and that we had AWANA in just a few. All the children had been picked up except the boys--I had forgotten to call their dad in my craziness! I decide to corral all of the kids into our car, head to AWANA, and call the dad to let him know. As I unfold the note he'd given me earlier, I see the boys' names: Grace (weird name for a boy, I thought) and Ruru (even weirder).
Dream pans to post-AWANA...I'm dropping Arabic boys off at their home. I pass an auto-body shop along the way that was rumored to often be used as a drug drop point for sellers and users...I never believed it though, as it was a good area of town. On the way home, I accidently make a wrong turn and end up turning around in their lot. As I'm doing so, I discover three men, shady men, dealing drugs on the side of the building. Completely freaking out that they saw me, I rush to put the car in reverse only to see one of the men approaching. While slowly rolling down my window, I overhear him call back to the others, "Don't worry boys, I've got this one. I'll sell her some 'e' or something." Fearing for my life, I try and play it cool, choosing to ask for weed over explaining that I just made a wrong turn (if I'm one of them, I won't be seen as a threat to turning them in...and it was the lesser of the drugs offered at least...right?). After the whole fiasco, I return home with weed reluctantly in hand. Naturally, everyone is outside the house waiting for me to let them in. I don't want them to see the drugs, so I use the huge above-ground pool in the dream front yard (that was between me and the front door) to hide it. And thankfully, there's a raft still floating in it that would make the perfect place temporarily. I climb the ladder, grab for the raft, and discover that Tony has already hidden a large package with a very X-Rated picture of a woman on its front. Flipping it over so the picture is no longer exposed (and wondering what the heck he's been doing), I hide the package of weed underneath and scurry down and over to the front door to let the kids in.
The next morning, I woke up with this dream vivdly etched in my mind. I knew it wasn't just any dream...something about it really grabbed my attention and held it for most of the morning. Particularly something about those boys' names. Grace and Ruru? I haven't even heard of a name or term "Ruru" before! And Grace? For a boy?
Your dad decided to search "Ruru" on the Internet, and found that Ruru is the Hebrew name used for the Caananite and Ammonite's false god, also known as Molech! What's even more creepy about this is the owl represents Molech, and you wore one around your neck nearly every day since "someone from school" gave it to you in Ukraine!! Also, I had been reading in Numbers and Joshua and was quickly reminded of what I had recently read in Joshua 16 & 17 about Ephraim and Manasseh living with the Caananites instead of forcing them out as they were commanded...because they felt the Caananites were just too strong Joshua 16-17 GWT. God was telling us we have Grace and Molech in our backseat and we need to force Molech out to take possesion of your WHOLE heart that He promised is already ours! And in a moment when we were so tempted to live with the enemy because we felt he was just too strong!
The Lord was faithful to continually remind us that "This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers that govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world" (Eph. 6:12). The events of the next month were even more tense but telling. Each week brought a little more darkness to light and unveiled more of the real you that had been overshadowed by the enemy's lies. Finally, it seemed like your heart broke under the weight of God's Grace. You shared some of the ugliest parts of your story and wept in my arms. It was a beautiful moment at the most perfect time, as just days later we headed to youth summer camp in Falls Creek, OK. Tabernacle time was full of 5,000 teenagers singing praises to God--an indescribable sight and sound really. But the most unforgettable moment for me, was when I had my hands lifted high in the air and my eyes closed deep in worship singing: "The mountains shake before you, the demons run and flee at the mention of Your Name King of Majesty" and something inside me said, "Open your eyes and look"...and when I did, I saw you pulling Kathleen down the aisle behind you racing towards the altar in response to the call to accept and recommit your life to Christ!!!
I have never experienced a joy as pure as I did in that moment. I crumbled into tears, in utter awe of God and what He can do.
The rest of that week and the week after were the most peaceful and harmonious weeks we've had as a family. You are at your most beautiful when Christ shines through you, Sweet Girl. And, OH, how SO brightly He shined <3
