Louise Degrafinried

Louise Degrafinried (1911-1998) and her husband Nathan lived in a small town outside Nashville. Nathan awoke one night to let the cat out, but the cat refused to leave the porch. Instead, he arched his back and hissed. “What do you see out there, Cat?” Nathan asked. Suddenly, a man stepped from the shadows and pointed a shotgun at Nathan. “Don’t make me kill you,” the man said and ordered Nathan back into the house. Louise and Nathan had heard the news about four men who had escaped from a nearby prison, who were armed and dangerous. Louise wasn’t intimidated, “Young man, I’m a Christian lady. Put down that gun and sit down. I don’t believe in no violence here.” The convict, Riley Arzeneaux, complied and put down his gun. He hadn’t eaten in three days, so Louise fixed him a first-class breakfast and put out her best napkins. When they sat down to eat, Louise took hold of Riley’s shaking hand, “Young man, let’s give thanks that you came here and are safe,” and led him in a simple table grace. When she learned of Riley’s sad upbringing, she told him, “Young man, I love you, and God loves you. God loves all of us, especially you. Jesus died for you because he loves you so much.” They heard approaching sirens in the distance. “It’s the cops,” Riley said, “they’re going to kill me.” Louise ordered Riley to stay put, went out to the porch, and said to the police, “Ya’ll put those guns away. I don’t allow no violence here.” Louise and Nathan then escorted Nathan to a police cruiser. Louise kept in regular contact with Riley in prison. When she visited, Riley welcomed the chance to pray with her. She began each prayer the same way, “God, this is your child. You know me, and I know you.” Riley said he wanted to have that kind of relationship with God. Riley gave his life to Christ in prison and joined with other inmates in a Bible study. He was later paroled for good conduct and put his life back together. When Louise died in 1998, Riley spoke at her funeral about his admiration for how she prayed and lived her life. Louise and Nathan were active members of Mount Sinai Baptist Church. There, no doubt, they often sang the second verse and chorus of the hymn “Are You Able.”