sister #5

today i want to honor her.


this is my sister Stephanie (aka bootsie, wephers, wep, weppers, dirty ethel bonnie)

she is pretty freakin hilarious.


these are fake senior pictures. she wanted to send them out. hilar.

she is beautiful.
and loving.

2 years ago today, she sat in my living room, broken hearted, tears flowing freely, she told the Lord she wanted him back in her heart.
prior to this day, she left the church at 14 and hadn't come back. drugs and alcohol were her routine. she had wanted what the world had to offer.and thought it was the right decision. but God always knows better. He loved her just the same, and kept calling her back to Him..come home steph, come home.
and she did.
I am very very blessed that she chose to text me that day.
it was a simple text.
"i miss church"
i prayed before responding,
"you miss church, or you miss God"
i waited..
waited...
she wrote back an honest and lovely abbrev.
"idk"
whoa..progress.

i convinced her to come over to my house so we could hang out. i baked friendship bread, as she sat at my table, talking about her feelings..and what all she would be giving up.
friends were her biggest concern. understandably.
would they understand? they hate God. will they hate me?
i didn't talk too much. i prayed and prayed. and had others praying as well.
finally she just said it, no pretense, "i need to come back to church"
i repeated my question from earlier, "back to God, or back to church?"
"both i guess" honest and blunt.
after many tears, hers and mine, she broke. she pleaded for forgiveness.
she prayed an timid and hopeful prayer. and she came HOME.
she hasn't looked back. it's been a beautiful transition, and each year she gets bolder and more confident about her love for the Lord.
so happy 2 years in the Lord my bootsie. i love you so much.