Mrs. Draisey, Thank you.

When I was growing up in a small rural town in Virginia there was a woman named Ann Draisey that was so loving and tender with all of us kids. She taught bible school and was the perfect example of patience and understanding. She had a peace, that even as a child we could all see. She had a son that was my age and we were friends, so I got to know Mrs. Draisey even better, but I could see that she was there as a mentor for all us kids. Things we couldn't or wouldn't talk about with our parents, difficulties growing up and the like. She was famous for handing out little bible verses written on small pieces of paper. Verses that just seemed to soothe you and help you understand, God was there.

One day, as a 17 year old I did something wrong, something that I felt would turn God against me. I remember at night calling up Mrs. Draisey. "Mrs. Draisey, I've done something wrong, and I feel like God is going to just say the heck with me, because I knew it was wrong, and I did it anyway." She told me that night..go to Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.

Can you imagine, after all these years I know exactly the verse and I have carried that with me my entire life. I wasn't a Catholic at this time in my life, but I somehow understood the concept of reparation. I told Mrs. Draisey that I feel like I have to give something back to God, to make up for what I've done. She told me about an old woman who lived by herself and liked to have the bible read to her. I was introduced to Ms. Carry who I read the bible to at night.

Later on, Mrs. Draisey told me the story of how her first husband, a Doctor, had been killed in a car accident years before. He was driving home from the hospital when the police were chasing a criminal who crossed over the line and hit her husbands vehicle. She went into this man's jail cell and told him that she forgave him and she told me this man cried like a baby. This was the beautiful woman that had gone on to remarry and have other children that was now living in our small town.

It's been over 40 years, and I still have some of the bible verses that she gave me. She has remained in my heart as a saintly woman, who practiced her faith with love and tenderness, and we came to her because of this. We knew she was of God. I will post a photo of her sometime, so you can see her. She passed on a couple of years ago, and I know she is with Jesus now. Thank you Ann Draisey for touching my life with God's love.