Eyes to See
By: Dr. Luauna Stines
The first Sunday of the month at 2 p.m. we hold a church service right on Mission Beach on the grass by Lifeguard Station #13. Last Sunday we decided to have an extra service, we set up chairs so people could join us. I open up with a song like, “Amazing Grace.” Then I open my Bible and share a sermon as if it were right from my pulpit at church. Some are busy, but many people stop and listen, sometimes even just for a moment to see, “Who is this wild, woman preacher?”
When I lift up my eyes I see hundreds of people everywhere and little by little a few finally muster the strength to come and sit in the chairs we set up. I noticed a father with his beautiful daughter joined the service. Throughout my sermon, “Every Man Must Make a Decision.” I noticed this young girl weeping, broken, and hurting. I thought to myself, “What could be so pressing at such a young age?”

At the end of my sermon I ask for those who are listening to come forward, “Are you in need of Jesus, or prayer? Come!” This father brought his daughter forward. As I looked into those beautiful blue, green eyes, with her strong chiseled face, she looked like a little model. As I reached for her hands to pray, my eyes noticed the needle tracks up and down her arms. My heart sunk; I wanted to just weep for her, knowing she truly needed deliverance. She was bound by the demon of heroin. This demon doesn’t care one bit for this little girl. She was its prisoner, an evil force of drug addiction which plagues so many young people today.

I went back into my mind of the last funeral I did. I was reminded of the 18 year old girl who died of a drug overdose, as I looked into these same empty eyes; I saw her silent plea for HELP! I began to pray for her, holding her in my arms like a baby, she wept. Jesus touched her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, bringing her deliverance.