I met a thirtyish woman at the jail last night. She asked me how I thought she could make Christmas a time for her 10 year old daughter that would focus on Christ and not so much on commercialism. After giving her a few pointers I felt led to push deeper, and on doing so, I found out she had been mercilessly abused for her entire lifetime: she couldn't remember a time when she wasn't, not even a month. Her father an alcoholic and left her and her 4 siblings in the care of her mother who is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, on further conversation she told me her mother has always told her that she sold her soul to the devil and now she is missing and she was certain she would be found dead. This woman has a 5-month-old baby and a girl of 10. Her life has been one continual trauma, and of course she turned to drugs to cope with this web of madness. She started with alcohol and then to Meth and now by the grace of God she has been arrested and getting some degree of help. What a nightmare, what a tragedy, a tragedy that I see lived out by so many. She spoke with intelligence and clarity as well as candor. But of course her posture was upright and rigid, her voice was somewhat mechanical, although she spoke with determination and faith that by the grace of God she is going to overcome addiction. My heart cries for her, and I sat in amazement that this young woman could have endured all the terror and still stand fighting, for her kids and herself. On the outside, one would never imagine the demonic battles she is fighting within, with all her might. Please join me in prayer for her: her name is Kayla.