Sonrisa Means "Smile" in Spanish

Ok, so I'm jumping around a little... or a lot. I'll try to keep it down. But, in the meantime you might have to adjust to it a little.

One of the many highlights of last weekend's Prayer Booth was meeting, visiting, sharing and praying with a young lady by the name of Sonrisa. What a crazy (in a good way) name!

(I'd also like to insert here that I may often refer to others who have not given me any permission to do so whatsoever so I do so with the utmost respect and intentions and will most likely refer to them by first name only as much as possible even though you might be able to figure out who I'm speaking of. If I make a reference to you and you don't like it, please let me know and I'll work to accommodate you. Seriously.)

There's more about Sonrisa's visit than I can share in this entry. In fact, now I'm not even sure why I started this post... failing memory... Anyway, for now, we've established it as a highlight. My prayer partner at the time, Robin, spoke with her most of the time and there's a story there too. Maybe I just wanted to post because I liked Sonrisa's name, what it means and didn't want to forget it.

If any of my posts read like yellow sticky note reminders you might see all over a fridge, well, they kind of are. This documentation is as much for me as it is for anyone else. Maybe you will enjoy the familiarity I take in my tone and be drawn in. I figure if you're reading this you're probably already a friend or soon could be.

Ok, I'm making another pass at this post. I think it started off kind of weak. It was one of my first, still learning how to blog.

When I tell friends about Sonrisa's visit I tell them:

It was Saturday, at the Prayer Booth, a little after noon when I was sitting with Robin when this young lady approached Robin especially and remarked as to the fact they were wearing the same pendant, a beautiful and unusual piece that I probably couldn't do justice. Since there was symbolism behind it there was much for them to talk about, me not hearing most it. (I also don't hear other things well like, "Honey, would you mow the grass?") I could tell it was girl talk so I gave them a little space.

Sonrisa quickly sat down and I could tell they were going to visit for a little while. I did pick up that Sonrisa was from Kansas City and that she was visiting Siloam Springs that weekend and it was her first trip to our city. She was born in Springdale, made a move or few, was living in Kansas City and came down for a visit. The main thing that prompted her trip was the Cherokee Day of Prayer but I don't think she ever got connected with it that weekend. I even made a couple of phone calls for her but nothing panned out.

Sonrisa said she's been to IHOP-KC a number of times and I told her we had a house of prayer in Siloam, up to 25 hours of live worship & prayer. I learned she was staying at a local hotel and invited her to consider The Peace Inn (guest house ministry) the next time she came to visit. Robin & I also invited her to Antioch for Sunday church but she wasn't able to make it that weekend.

She told us about her interesting upbringing and her dear family. We prayed with her for a number of things including healing and direction. Robin & I both agreed freely, on the spot, that the Lord had sent her our way with a purpose. I told Sonrisa about the old spring and how we pray there. I encouraged her to visit it and pray before she left.

I think one of the reasons I struggled when first writing this post, and I still am a little, is that there was something more about her visit with us than can be communicated in words. You know those times or events in your life when you can clearly sense the Lord's hand in something? That fact alone seems to almost make the details of that experience somewhat trivial. "The things of this earth will grow strangely dim..." Sonrisa seemed to "carry" something with her that eclipsed much of the natural things that were around us. There was a presence of the Lord about her. It could also be described as a peace or a joy. I can see where artists came up with halos. It's what you would expect if you could travel 2,000 years into the past and meet the disciples. The new-agers might refer to it as an aura. I don't think they are referring to something that doesn't exist. I think they just renamed something that's persisted through scripture. There was a Godly, divine spirit present. What if it was an angel or few? Please forgive my theology or the lack thereof. I'm trying to describe it as thoroughly and accurately as possible as far as I can align it with what I understand from scripture.

It seemed so soon that we all had been visiting maybe close to an hour and it came time to part ways. We wish we didn't need to say goodbye so soon. I would describe this time at the Prayer Booth as one of the most memorable (truly glorious) and yet most difficult to articulate experiences. It is what I have heard many refer to as a divine appointment. A moment that could remain beyond our understanding.

So, Sonrisa, if you are reading this, may you be encouraged by this. The presence of the Lord is strong upon you and is so real it's tangible. The kingdom of God is near to you. He loves you and gives you, as His beloved believer, access to His incredible goodness and gifts. You have everything at your disposal to carry out the plans He has for you.

Bless you. We look forward to seeing you again.

- Wade Baker