Plans with a hope and a future

The books I have been reading by Karen Kingsbury have really reached out to me.  One passage keeps coming up again and again.  It's found in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I have a friend who has been heading down a path of destruction the past several months.  I haven't approved of her actions, but I have tried to show her God's love through compassion and unconditional love.  No matter what she does, I will love her.  Because really, it's not her that's bad, it's the lies and evil that the devil has fed her that are bad. 

As you know, I gave up Facebook for Lent.  I have never given anything up before, but I have been doing well.  I've been praying for my friend.  I got on FB Sunday (after finding out that was acceptable!) and found that I no longer had my friend on my list.  It seemed like she had deleted her account (which I thought was strange) because I couldn't find her when I searched.  However, just today, my discipline was tested.  My mom called to let me know that she hadn't deleted her account, she simply unfriended all of us that disapproved of her actions.  My mom found out through another mutual friend and he also told us that just 9 hours previously, she had updated her status about "papers being filed."  Talk about a blow.

This is totally the devil at work!  I am praying for God to give me the words as I call her on my way home today.  I want to get the whole story.  Miraculously she finally replied to my text messages (yes, I can be quite badgering when I want to be ;-P) and I asked her if it was okay to call her later.  She said yes and something else that really broke my heart.  She unfriended us because she was embarrassed and she didn't feel worthy of our love. 

That made me think about how many people are out there that feel that way.  They shut out the Christians because they are afraid of judgement and snide remarks and "I told ya so's".  This is no okay with me.  Jesus has called us all to love.  To love the way He has loved us.  So what if she does things that we don't find acceptable?  The only way to show her the truth and light is to love her NO MATTER WHAT! 

So, please, my friends.  Pray with me.  Pray for my friend and her husband.  Pray that they see the lies that they've been believing.  Pray that I be given the words to guide her and to love her.  I'm not ready to be out of her life.  I believe God has brought us together for a reason, and I'm just hoping the reason isn't over yet. 

God wants SO much for her.  He has a future and a hope - and it's not one that will harm her, like the way she's heading right now. 

Please, Lord, work a miracle in the life of my friend and her husband.  Please use me, in whichever way you can.  I am Yours to use.  Please help her see that her life can be fixed.  Please help her see that she's worthy of love, unconditional everlasting love and compassion.  Help her see that she's worthy of YOU and Your love, that You died on the cross for HER and You want a relationship with her.  Please give her a sense of Your peace at this very moment.  I ask all this in Jesus' name, Amen.