He nodded. “Do you recognize me?”
Miz Ida studied him. The young man was clean shaven and his hair was newly cut. His clothes were not new, but they were washed and ironed. “No, son. I’m sorry to say it, but I don’t.”
The young man nodded. “It’s probably best that way.” He began to walk away, but stopped and turned back to Miz Ida. “But I said if I ever saw you again, I would thank you and tell you that I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what, honey?”
“Sorry for what I said to you and how mean I was to you. Don’t you recognize me now? From the front doorway?”
Miz Ida laid her hand on her chest. “No, it ain’t. Is that you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She looked the young man up and down. “Well, what has come over you?”
“I don’t know, ma’am. I guess you just spoke to me on the right day. Maybe I just needed somebody who cared enough to take the time to wake me up.”
“My goodness, son. Praise the Lord! It’s a new day!”
“Yes, ma’am. But I got a long way to go.”
“Well, you be encouraged, young man. Don’t give up.” Miz Ida leaned back on the bench. The sun on her face felt good. It was indeed a new day. Miz Ida looked at the young man. “You go to church, baby?”
“No, ma’am.”
She smiled at him. “Well, if you really want it to be a new day, we gone have to see what we can do about that. Son, every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”
No doubt about it, there was still a lot of work for her to do.
I have enjoyed this journey, this time that I have spent with you. Like you, I thank the Cover Girls—Michelle, Tonya, Mrs. Judson, and Miz Ida—for sharing their lives and exposing their hearts to us.
No matter what your season, your condition, or your role in life, I want to remind you that your heavenly Father, your Daddy, loves you. His love transcends color, gender, socio-economic status, and gender. Don’t try to hide your struggles or your pain from Him. You don’t have to present a perfect picture to Him. You don’t have to hide or cover your scars or your issues.
God wants to touch you where you hurt. He wants to heal that broken wounded place that you’ve been trying to conceal. The truth is, all of us have those things we cover. We cover our issues with clothes, money, jobs, relationships, and even addictions. God knows; He sees; and He cares. Run to His arms and let Him love away and heal those tender places.
Trust God to love you as only He can, and to prepare you for the wonderful and complete life He has always purposed for you. You are safe in His arms. Don’t run from Him anymore, run to Him. You are Daddy’s precious girl—it’s time for you to take your place on stage.
Bishop T. D. Jakes
1
See Psalm 27:10
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2
See Acts 9:4-6
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3
See Proverbs 27:17
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4
John 16:33 KJV
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5
Psalm 30:5 KJV
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6
Psalm 27:10 NKJV
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7
See Matthew 10; Luke 12
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8
See Jeremiah 1
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9
See Luke 13; Matthew 23
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10
T.D. Jakes,
Woman, Thou Art Loosed
(Tulsa, OK: Albury Publishing, 1993) 175-176, paraphrased.
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11
Matthew 18:20
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12
Psalm 25: 4-9 NIV
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13
Proverbs 10:22
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14
T.D. Jakes, “Change Your Mind—A Soul Secret,”
Holy Bible: Woman, Thou Art Loosed
edition (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998).
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15
Corinthians .13:4-8, 11-12 NIV
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