Some really good things happened...
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"Some really good things happened at that meeting," Jennifer thought to herself as she was driving home from the church. She had been to the monthly meeting of the women's fellowship. The program had been presented by a local psychologist who had spoken to the group about the many fears which haunt daily living, fears which cause us to turn away from one another and to erect mental and emotional barriers around ourselves. Jennifer kept thinking about the exchange between two of the others. Katy had said, "Sure! It's a fear we all have in common -- the inner voice which cautions us to hide our true selves because people might reject who we really are." To that, LouAnne had replied, "You got that right! I'd be thrown out of this circle!" Everyone had laughed ... But Jennifer wondered if perhaps LouAnne had been the bravest person there tonight, stating a painful truth which everyone else took as a joke. Jennifer knew her own dark secrets well enough -- and knew without a doubt that the words LouAnne had spoken were true for herself. "If people knew me as I really am," Jennifer thought, "they'd throw me out too!" There was only one to whom Jennifer had ever been able to turn without reservation, knowing that his love extended across all boundaries, even those of space and time, to embrace her -- even with her dark secrets, which were, of course, no secret to him. It was the certainty of that love, the certainty that Jesus would never reject her, that empowered her to face each day, despite the public facade she felt the need to wear. It was the absolute certainty of Christ's love that gave her the courage to risk living. -- Fannin
