by Jen Powell

 I read the mentee’s email filled with despair.  Compassion overwhelmed me.    Scriptures rattled through my head and my fingers barely keeping up as I raced past the limitations of time zones, church denominations, physical appearances, and age gaps.  I felt an urgency to tell her that she didn’t have to remain captive in her circumstances.

 I landed at the bottom line: scripture… the holy, inspired word of God.  Give her the way out, I kept thinking, the truth and the power (John 14:6).  It far surpasses anything I can share from life experience or my human brain.  It will not return void. (Isaiah 55:10-12)

 I processed the words from her desperate email and passion coursed through my veins.    I had been in her shoes a time or two before.  Her prison cell was familiar to me.  I recognized the stench of fear.  The enemy had been there throwing around threats like, “ things are too far gone in this marriage” and “you have let God down one too many times… you probably don’t even belong to Him anyway.”  My heart rate increased and I knew she had to know His heart.  She was cornered and I had the power of God’s Word to expose the lies.

 “I give strength to the weary and increase your power when you are weak.  When you hope in Me, you will renew your strength.  You will soar on wings like an eagle; you will run and not grow weary, you will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)

 “My love, I will betroth you to me forever; yes, I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will trust me fully.” (Hosea 2:19-20)

 “For you were bought and paid for at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

 “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

 I had to chuckle as I typed out the final verses in the email.  Sure, it applied to the mentee and to her circumstances, but the funny part was that it completely applied to me, too.  Who is ministering to whom in this amazing process?  I know I can speak truth and love into another’s life as I invest in eMentoring.  I had no idea how much God would minister to me during the process as well!  I have a front row seat to watch the power of God’s Word unleashed into the prison cell of their circumstances.  What a privilege to witness the power of scripture and the freedom of His grace in both of our lives!