SALT & PEPPER

(No, not the singing group)

We would have never met if my bus had been on time. Her name was Pepper. She needed me just as much as I needed her.

My agency had called mid-morning to let me know I had an assignment. Temp Legal Assistant jobs were growing more and more scarce after 911. People were afraid to hire new employees just in case the United States became a target again.

Excitedly and hurriedly, I dressed and practically lost my wind scurrying to the neighborhood bus stop in Atlanta. Unlike Michigan, Atlanta's transit system, MARTA, was pretty reliable, but such was not the case this day. I paced back and forth and forth and back while waving and speaking to the occasional neighbor out running their morning errands.

After an hour had passed, I was at my wits end and had no solution for getting to work on time. The ride was too long to take a taxi, and Uber and Lyft did not exist in those days. Suddenly, a car with a young woman behind the wheel came speeding down Memorial Drive at break-neck speed. She slammed on her brakes in just enough time to avoid hitting the car parked a few feet in front of the bus stop. If I were a detective, my first observation would have been that this vehicle had no air conditioning because all four windows were rolled down as far as they could go. It was summer time in the ATL, and whatever the numbers were on the thermometer, let us just suffice it to say that scrambling an egg on the sidewalk was not out of the realm of possibility. Peering into the open windows of the vehicle, there behind the steering wheel sat a beautiful young woman with the face of an angel! It was a panic-stricken and extremely anxious appearing angel, but an angel-face nonetheless!

Speaking at the speed of light, I was able to make out that this angel-faced young woman was lost and, as she spoke, apparently in dire need of finding a gas station. I began giving her directions to the nearest gas station as fast as I could. She seemed confused and unable to comprehend my directions. In that instant I had a brainstorm. I asked her if she would take me to the train station in exchange for me showing her how to get to the nearest gas station. She screamed, "C'mon, jump in!" Being a street minister and having a very close relationship with the Lord, I discerned absolutely no danger from taking a ride with this young woman.

No sooner than I jumped in the car and she pulled away from the curve, I began to pray. I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, loud and clear, "Fasten your seatbelt, this is going to be a roller coaster ride!"

So grateful to be rescued from the heat and the bus that just would not come, I began the conversation by thanking my driver for the ride. Politely introducing myself to her, I said, "Hi, my name is DeBBie!" She said, softly, "Hi DeBBie, my name is Pepper!" Suddenly, without warning, like shifting a sports car non-stop from first to fifth gear, through raging tears, Pepper started to gush out her personal struggles. Without taking a single breath, Pepper said, "I have been up all night getting high. I am a crack addict. I left my three children with my mother, and I should have picked them up yesterday evening. DeBBie, my mother is so good to me, and she does not deserve the way I treat her!” Thank God not only was my car seatbelt fastened, my emotional and spiritual seatbelts were also fastened tight.

By the time Pepper ended sharing her woes, we had arrived at the closest gas station. It was fairly obvious she did not have much money because crack addicts usually don't! I'm sure, like the prodigal son, all of her money had been spent on wine, men, and getting high, so I offered to put gas in her tank in exchange for the ride. She was so wounded, so hurt, but yet, so kind, gentle, and sincerely grateful. As I stepped out to pay for and pump the gas, it gave Pepper a little time to compose herself.

Once we were able to get back on the road with no fear of being stranded due to an empty tank, I was able to minister to Pepper, and she was listening. As we pulled up to the train station, which was not far from where we had gotten the gas, it was time to share. Led by the unction and direction of the Holy Spirit, I began to pour the love of Jesus into Pepper's wounded soul the best way I knew how.

"Pepper", I began, "I know it sounds cliche, but honey, God loves you more than you will ever know. I was on the side of the road running extremely late for work while waiting on a bus that refused to come. Just when I thought all was lost, God sent you to barreling down the street to rescue me. But Pepper, God also sent me to rescue you! We both had what the other one needed. Sweetheart, I am going to pray for you right now. I will continue to pray for you for the rest of my life because this is I day I will never forget! Whatever you do, do not condemn yourself. What is happening with to you right now is called the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He has caused you to understand and realize that there is a better way to live this thing called life, and the path that you're on will not lead to life, but to destruction. You do not want that and God does not want that for you!"

After praying for Pepper, I taught her this simple prayer that she could easily remember whenever she needed to do so. The prayer, for whenever she was tempted, was simply this, "LORD, HELP!" I told her, “If you leave me and head for the dope house, before you light that pipe, scream out, ‘LORD HELP!’ He heard your cry this day and has come to rescue you.”

After giving Pepper a great big hug, I exited her car, caught my train to work, and arrived on time.

I wish I knew what became of her... Pepper crosses my mind often, and when she does, as promised, I pray for her.

As scripture tells us, God's plans are not our plans, and His ways are certainly not our ways, but two things are for certain: (1) He that wins souls is wise, and (2) We are the salt of the earth!" This happened 22 years ago, and on that day, Pepper was Pepper, and Salt was surely Salt!