As I've been telling you, my life is changing. And what these last 2, gosh, maybe it will be 3 this summer, years has shown me is that the thing we call life isn't really changing . Instead I think I am being transformed. Yes, I know some of you are smiling...because that is what it is about now, isn't it?
While I was busy looking for what was going to change around me, I had no clue about how so much would be transformed inside me. While some things are easier than others and some things take what seems like eons to come about, some things actually come up and smack me up side the head.
While I've been aware of God leading me to certain women for discipleship, while I think He is leading us to foster care, I've allowed Him to make my heart and my time available. "Available" has been my ministry, so to speak. Being ready for whatever He brings my way. Today I find He is not so quick to let me get comfortable in my understandings.
And intentionality. That has been my heart since experiencing the loss of Mrs. Ortmann. So I've really been looking at being, guess what? INTENTIONALLY AVAILABLE!
A couple of hours ago my 19 year old son called and asked if he could bring a friend, who has run into some hard times, home to live with us. My first question wasn't "What time are you going to be here?", no, my first question was "For how long?" Many things ran through my head before he got home to "discuss it". Let me tell you he was passionate about helping this young lady out. He was angry that she had been in need before and his CC group, to his understanding, had not been of any help. He was really upset about being a "Christian" and not helping out.
Yes, I must confess that I still wanted to discuss things like safety, trust, fear. But I knew that if Steve and I are to set an example to our, still impressionable, son, we had to go with God's word: "Whatever you do to the least of these, that you do unto me" . After I, or should I say, after the Holy Spirit reminded me of that Scripture (I'm sure I paraphrased it), He also challenged me with the verses that precede that one, which I'm sure I can't recall correctly, but these words were definitely included food, water, clothes and I'm thinking I got the general notion. (Obviously I should put that passage to memory :)
So here I find myself opening my home, not to foster care (as we understand it), or to women God brings into my life, but to a young adult women that God brought into the life of my son. Available. Intentional. And while my first impulse was that I couldn't qualify opening our home to needy children to my son, without opening our home to his friend,....available...intentional.....,I sit here now knowing that I open our home to Jesus, Himself. For He said, and again I paraphrase it, whenever we feed, clothe or give drink to anyone in need, we are doing those things to Him. Available....Intentional. Today I make myself intentionally available to that which God calls me, even though it's a little different than I had expected.
Her name is Charlotte. She goes to school with Zach. She is a full time student and works 2 jobs. Please pray for her and for our family as we serve God together.
Judy
