Two Women, Two Mothers, One Courthouse

Many of you have heard about Casey Anthony and her trial for the murder of her young child.

I was at the Pinellas County Courthouse this morning. The place was nearly electric with energy as the jurors for her trial are going to be selected here rather than in Orange County where the murder took place.

This is so that Casey can receive a fair trial.

Good luck.

Every major media outlet was set up to broadcast live from the courthouse today...ABC, NBC, CBS, Court TV, CNN...you name it, they were there...a veritable army of reporters, camera men, technical support, and lookers on, creating the circus that is modern American media frenzy.

But with all that media coverage and hyped-out intensity, not one of them was aware of why I was at the courthouse today.

They were there to cover the story of a woman who has been accused of murdering her baby.

I was there on behalf of a woman who is trying to keep hers.

Casey has coverage not only because her trial involves a mother accused of murdering her child, but also because of her image...the "MTV girl", as a friend of mine described her this morning.

The woman I was there with (along with my friend and fellow pastor, G.W. Rolle) was not a girl you'd see on MTV. She'll never be on Jersey Shore. She is the kind of person who does not draw notice, not from media papparazzi who claim to be journalists or from the typical passerby on the street.

Except when she is put down for her history of homelessness.

Thus far, Casey Anthony is finding herself deeper and deeper in hot water and if she is found guilty, may receive the death penalty.

The woman I was there with today is possibly coming alive for the first time in her life.

And her baby is coming home in a few days.

You can read about her story here, here, here, and here.

She is living at ASAP, a homelessness recovery home in St. Petersburg, managed by Karen Bolden, the strong, wise, and beautiful woman in the brown blouse at the middle of the back row in this photograph...

The woman I was with in court today has a long way to go to get it all together, but with God's help and some seriously dedicated mentoring, she can raise her child.

Let the press cover that.

Because that is...

PS: If you feel led to help this woman keep and raise her child, please contact me via Twitter and/or Facebook. Together, with God's help, we can help both her and her baby.

Please keep them both in prayer.

And also Casey Anthony.

In Jesus' name...Amen.