Meeting her was a joy. Hearing her heart, was convicting. Listening to her penetrating testimony, was overwhelming.

We sat down to dinner, and I asked her to tell me what the Lord had been doing in her life and in her ministry. The story she would share with me was one inspired by the King of Kings.

Throughout the evening, we talked of Beej, or references were made to who he was to her, to them. Deanna was at a Bible study, so Laura, Barbara Ann and I spent the evening sharing.

BJ had promised to be their protector, their brother. He had insisted on meeting their "men" prior to allowing them to marry. He had displayed for them this protector/defender characteristic while on the field. He had loved them.

He would be so proud of who Laura is in Christ, and what she is allowing the Lord to do through her. Her friends question her relationship with God because of her ministry. Understandably, they fear for her safety, but they do not know what God is doing through her obedience.

She spends her time on the streets, ministering to the lost and broken. She extends the love of Christ to them through her actions. She frequents a place called "the cage." It has many faces. It is a place where "members" or their friends can get a free meal. It is a place where those same people can get a "fix." It is a place where attendance at the right hour of the day, literally finds it to be Satan's church. He is worshipped, and it is declared that the only way to reign in power with him in the hereafter, is to worship him now.

A young 16 year old and his girlfriend are there again. At the conclusion of the service, he notices there are some leftover drugs, laying in the back. He collects them for later use.

That same night he prepares them. He serves his girlfriend first. Then he allows himself the same indulgence. A short time later, he realizes that something is wrong. Somehow these drugs are bad...they have been tainted.

He calls 911, and requests an ambulance. He realizes unless his stomach is pumped he may not make it. Then he turns his attention to his girlfriend. His intent is to help her. He finds he has already had too much influence over her...she is dead.

He calls the police and tells them that he has killed his girlfriend through a drug overdose.

Somehow, he also contacts Laura, via her cell. She arrives at the hospital to find it a flurry of police activity. This quiet, almost shy, 22 year old seminary student, is his only hope. He knew her and had her number from the time she invested getting to know him, and others on the streets.

In his time of need, he called her. Surprisingly, the police told him that if he entererd rehab, they would not press charges for the death of his girlfriend. He was released to Laura, to take him to enter a program.

On the way, she felt the Lord impressing her to once again share her faith with him. Oh, she had tried in the past, but mid-testimony, he would respond by "shooting up," or getting drunk.

Upon arrival, he looked at her and said, "I want you to tell me about your God, right now!" In her gentle yet relevant way, she tells him about God's love for him. He is shocked. How could he be loved, he was a murderer?

She pressed on and shared that God had a deep abiding love for pediphiles, and worse. His will was to see them surrender their own ways for His way. He listened intently, and was moved by the Holy Spirit.

He gave his heart to Jesus...just hours after the worst experience of his life.

Her Christian brothers doubt her faith. They doubt her relationship with the Lord. Why? Because she walks the way Jesus walked. She goes to places the Holy Spirit leads her and she gets "dirty."

"He went through the blood, the least we can do is go through the mud." BJ Higgins

Laura, you inspire me! Thank you for your obedience to our Savior! Thank you for not being afraid to go where He leads. Thank you for caring "for the least of these."

I believe your decision not to pursue a Navy Chaplaincy so that you can minister to the "people of the streets," is God breathed. You bless me!

dad