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Where Is Alexia?
by Maggie Brittain As she lay broken, abused and alone, she sobbed miserably. If there was a God, why had He allowed this? No sooner had that thought flashed into her mind than she felt love for the first time. Alexia desired to share Jesus with her friends but they did not receive her. It was then she had an overwhelming desire to attend church and make new friends. The first church Alexia attended did not receive her either. Two ladies who befriended her anxiously listened to her testimony gobbling it up. Alexia felt she had found new friends and a place to belong. It turned out the two ladies used Alexia's words against her accusing her to the elders of the church as an ungodly woman. She had gotten in amongst them and was going to lead them all astray with her devilish ways. "It was so hideous", Alexia cried out to Jesus. "The husbands were leering over the back of the pews to get a look at me." She sobbed uncontrollably for hours eventually falling asleep. The following Sunday, Alexia found new hope of finding friends among God's people. She discovered a little church tucked among the trees and it looked inviting. Alexia got out of her car and followed the path to the side lawn. The beautiful little stream trickling underneath the bridge took her aback. The landscaping was spectacular. At the door, Alexia was greeted with a friendly smile and a bulletin. She clutched her Bible and found a place to sit. The Pastor, a young man, and his lovely wife had two adorable children. After the service, both he and his wife shook Alexia's hand and expressed their joy to have her attend and welcomed her back. The next few Sundays, Alexia was invited to have coffee with the parishioners. There was small talk but they would also speak about Jesus, which delighted her heart. One Sunday, Alexia parked her car and made her way up the path crossing over the little bridge thinking everything seemed so perfect. It had always been difficult for Alexia to make friends. She became withdrawn as a child. Shying away from people could be a result of her childhood abuse. Perhaps, that is why she had fallen prey to alcohol. It gave her false courage and a place to hide. As Alexia took her seat smiling at the others, she heard familiar voices. It was the same two ladies with their families who had turned against her from the first church. They sat down in the section across from her. Alexia could feel their hostile angry eyes upon her. And once again, the husbands were leering at her. Alexia felt sick. Two Sundays passed and Alexia bravely attended church. The parishioners she had coffee with a few short weeks before looked upon her differently. The Pastor and his wife no longer smiled at her. As it turned out, the Pastor and his wife were friends of these two ladies. If Alexia could have foreseen this, she could have spared herself more rejection, shame and hurt. Not being able to withstand the unwanted attention and the disapproving stares, Alexia walked out of church. Stopping on the little bridge she asked, "Lord, do you want me to be a Christian or not?" Alexia fought back her tears and said, "Jesus, if you want me, you will have to fellowship with me. Your people don't want me, so why should I be a Christian, Lord, why?" Jesus met her on that little bridge in the same way He picked her up out of the street telling her He loved her and He would never leave her. Driving away, Alexia could see the little picturesque bridge in her rear view mirror. She would never cross it again. Her eyes filled with tears but she knew Jesus loved her although she could not understand why she didn't belong with His people. What ever happened to Alexia, only God knows. Maybe you have seen her, perhaps she lives right across the street, only God knows. Copyright 2008 Maggie Brittain http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VineyardofEncouragement/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |