I Dated a Pimp...

A couple weeks ago the Sunday Gospel was from Mk 5:21-43. I'd like to focus on the story of the little girl who was brought back to life. As I sat in Mass and listened to the readings and the homily the thought came to me. I was that dead little girl!

So once upon a time I dated a pimp...Like a real one... He didn't wear fur coats or have a cane (at least not when he was with me). I was in grad school and I spotted this handsome guy across the IHOP after a night of bar hopping and gave him the come hither look or as I like to call it the hungry eyes... I went over and talked to him and we started seeing each other.

A few weeks after we first met I found out the truth about a couple things, he was really about 3 or 4 years older then he originally said and he was pimp...at that point I should have said see ya later...but I didn't. I stayed with him for about 10 months and when I finally broke up with him it wasn't because of his occupation but for something else I find quite frivolous now.

Now to put the question out of your mind, no he did not pimp me out. But I remember going to confession for this and my pastor told me "well sometimes we don't know what we are doing". Well I did know what I was doing, I think some part of me thought I could save this guy and bring him to a life that was good. Although when I look back on it I'm not sure how helping him out the way I did would ever have brought him out of that life.

The next guy I was with was my daughter's father, that lasted 3 months and ended when he got married to his "ex", at least I thought she was. I was 3 months pregnant. The guy after that had been married twice and cheated on both of his wives. ( I knew this from the beginning) These are just some highlights of the life I once lived, these are the types of relationships I entered into aaaalll the time...

So why am I telling you all this? Why would I bring this up and tell everyone some of my darkest secrets? To show you that at one time I was dead...at least my spirit was. I was so lost. I remember crying because I hated my life, I was desperate for anyone to show me some kind of affection. I felt like my life had no purpose ...I was floating or really flailing with no direction.

I am living proof that miracles can happen. That no matter how lost your loved ones may seem, Jesus can save them.  I work in campus ministry and when I tell my students about my former life they are in disbelief...but it's true!! No matter how far you or someone you loved has fallen there is hope!

So what happened that I made this turn around?

Well In that Gospel reading,  the father of the little girl went to Jesus to ask him to save his daughter.

My parents have spent countless hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament praying for their children. They go to Jesus every weekday to prayer for their children. I truly believe that my parents prayers were pivotal in my conversion. If you are truly worried about someone you need to get down on your knees everyday and pray for them. I doubt I would be where I am today if it hadn't been for my parents' petitions to Jesus.  You don't have to be someones parent to pray either. The Lord hears us when we cry out to him.

Now it took many years for me to allow Christ to bring me back to life, and I am still struggling with certain issues so don't think you will get an instant result. (although all things are possible with Christ right so it could happen) Read Luke 18: 1-5. Be persistent in your prayers! We cannot see the hearts of people like Christ can, he works wonders in our hearts that others will never see. So don't lose hope, Christ is listening!