Mary Magdalene

Live Worship, a Foot Rub, and Flag Football

| Laura Lee Bonde

After work, I headed to the field to watch my boys practice flag football with the team. It’s so good to be around them, to watch Kyle teach Nathan, and to watch Nathan continue to improve. I am always proud-mommy. Well, on the way there, my right foot cramped terribly. Let me explain.

Back in my dancing days, I wore heels ALL THE TIME. Every now and then, my toes curl up from the balls of my feet and remain stuck in that position (as if I’m wearing heels), and throughout this insane cramping, I experience intense pain. There have been times I’ve pulled over to the side of the road until in subsided. Now that I pray, it lessens a lot quicker. I always get irritated when it happens though…always.

Well, by the time I reached the field, it had went away but left a memory of when I was a stripper. Continue reading →

A Modern Day Mary Magdalene

| Laura Lee Bonde

My weekend with God was amazing! At first, I was fasting, but when I woke up Saturday morning, God told me, “I want to spoil you. I want you to eat.” My first thought was, “I wonder if breakfast is still going on.” My second thought was, “Of course it is! You just invited me to eat.” Breakfast was being served, and it was super yummy.

This was the most restful retreat ever! I constantly had my soaking music playing. I prayed, read, wrote, slept, and ate…in that order every time. One of the things I had prayed for and studied into was a revelation of the power and authority I am able to walk in. I had just read Luke 9:1 and was getting ready to read chapter eight, when I went to eat dinner.

As I sat down with my dinner on Saturday evening, I met a couple of gentlemen who sat at the same table with me. (There were a couple of youth and college retreats going on.) In conversation, we found out that we (one of the men and I) were both leaders and started talking about leadership. When he found out about JC’s Girls, he was amazed.

This past year, I’ve learned to only share about my past when led by the Holy Ghost. This was one of those times. I began sharing about what God had brought me out of: the stripping, the selling my body, etc.,…he was amazed. I then shared with him about what purity meant to me, that – even though I’ve slept with over one hundred men – I don’t want to be kissed until my wedding day. He just marveled. (I offered to come and speak to his college group about purity. That would be cool.)

As he listened to me share, he said, “Wow! A modern day Mary Magdalene…you don’t see that very often, when someone with your past gets totally freed.” I shared with him about dancing with flags, what God has redeemed through that, showed them both the flags, and gave him my card. He said, “What a powerful ministry: Mary Magdalene Ministries. Thank you for sharing your testimony. That’s power! I’m going to be speaking about you.”

They left, and I sat there and cried. What God has done with me is amazing! The reason there is power in my testimony is because I know my identity. Nothing form my past will ever stop me from walking in who I am. Actually, I speak of “a” past, but it’s not “my” past. My past was buried forever. Every day, I’m creating a new past, and it’s glorious!

I went back to my room to read up on Mary Magdalene. Guess where you can find her? Luke 8, the very chapter I was about to read!! I cried some more.

On Sunday morning, that same gentleman asked if he could continue using my testimony. I told him he could use me forever.