The Holy Spirit

She tried to get a job. She did, but couldn't make much money by the time she had paid for child care. Someone told her that with a body and looks like hers, she could make a lot more money as a stripper. She interviewed for the job at a local club. She felt she had the word "shame" inscribed on her forehead. She needed the money and accepted the job. She put her kids to bed, drove her old car to the club, danced and, somewhat awkwardly, stripped. She wouldn't do this long. It was temporary because she needed the money. But she made big money. The few nights turned into weeks and the weeks into months. She hated herself, but not enough to stop — even when those men looked at her in the same way as her father, brother and former husband.

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One day her boss told her about a photo shoot for a magazine. It paid twice as much as she was making for just a few hours of her time. So she drove to Galveston to the address that was given. They hadn't told her it was a hotel. She pulled up in front of it. The name of the hotel, believe it or not, was "Heartbreak Hotel." Shame overcame her once again. Her head dropped. She cried out, "O God, help me!"

Lonnie got out of the car, walked toward the hotel entrance. She looked up and saw the strangest sight. Behind the sign, "Heartbreak Hotel," was a huge billboard sign which read in large, bold letters, "Jesus Christ can mend a broken heart."

Lonnie never went into that hotel. She turned around. She drove home. She never went back to the club. The next day she walked into the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, then pastored by our friend, Tom Tewell, who tells this story. She talked with one of the associate pastors. She told him her story. She expected to be shamed by the pastor. Instead, he said, "Welcome home, Lonnie!"

And Jesus Christ began to mend Lonnie's broken heart.

At last report, Lonnie was still single. She was making less money than she did before. She was making it and supporting her children at a respectable job, claiming God's help to live one day at a time.

What happened to Lonnie? I'll tell you what happened to Lonnie! The Holy Spirit heard her prayer. The Holy Spirit caught her at her darkest moment. The Holy Spirit helped her look up at just the right second to see the Heartbreak Hotel sign framed by those ultimate words of hope, "Jesus Christ can mend a broken heart!" And as Lonnie was willing to face her need, the Holy Spirit was able to meet it and continues to meet it, revealing truth, enabling faith, giving spiritual power, and the guidance to be what she never dreamed she could be. The stripper has become a saint. The five-letter word across her forehead, "SHAME," has been removed, and the Holy Spirit has replaced it with the five-letter word "SAINT."

This is what the Holy Spirit has done or wants to do for you! Have you let Him? Will you let Him? These are the most important questions you will ever answer!

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This is one of a series of sermons based on The Apostles Creed. Additional sermons from that series will appear in Preaching On-Line in March, April and May.

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John A. Huffman, Jr. is the Senior Minister at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. He is a Senior Contributing Editor to Preaching.