Radio

          It was a cold evening in upper New York State, it looked like it could snow. The mountain roads were damp with sheets of ice, it was strange to see a four door sedan speeding recklessly through the night. Inside the car was a woman probably in her late thirties looking at the road as if in a trance. She wasn't aware of the tires squealing on the turns. You see it didn't matter to her if she ran off the road and crashed into the valley below, because she was going to kill herself.

          We don;t know why her life had no meaning to her anymore. It could have been a bad marriage or the abortion of a child, whisky or dope. The main thing was she had no where to turn, no one to trust, no one including herself that thought her life had any value. She had come up this road before. But tonight she was determined she would make it to the top and then off the road and into the gorge.

          Upset and nervous she switched on the radio to calm down until she reached the top. A calm voice came on and she listened, it was a minister. She had never been very religious even as a child, her family was always to busy for church. This man was talking about Jesus. How much He loved us, ho He died in our place. She wished she had something to die for. Something besides putting an end to her problems.

          The minister was inviting people to the service now, he was giving the address of the church. It was a country church on the same highway she was on. A small town up ahead. She had been through it before. It was almost to the top of the mountain. She might stop and find out more about this man Jesus and what He died for. She would like to have a purpose to her death, something besides escaping her miserable life.

          As she went into the church the same man with the calm voice was speaking. Her mind was still not functioning well but she was picking up some words. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son.... "Because he loves me" says the Lord, "I will rescue him" ... "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" ... The time passed and tears came running down her eyes. The service was over and the man was calling people to be saved. He was staring at her. She knew he was talking to her. She quietly got up and walked down the aisle and knelt before him as she dedicated her life to Jesus.

          She felt new, clean, her troubles were just a memory. People were smiling at her and hugging her. Two people said they loved her, another asked if she would come back and join them. The minister brought his wife to meet her. She smiled at the minister and thanked him. She said, "my life was almost over when I heard your broadcast." 

"What do you mean sister?"

"Your radio broadcast, I heard it in the car right before I came in."

"Sister, we are a very small church, we don't have a radio broadcast."