My friend Corina sent out an update letter the other day and she shared a story about her son, Keiden. She wrote how he usually has a nap in her office during the afternoon on a little mattress in the corner. She props the door open so he can leave when he wakes up.
The other day she heard him start to scream in fear, "MOMMY!!" So she ran to her office to find out what was wrong. Tears overflowing, he said, “I couldn’t open (snif, snif) the door." "But, sweetheart!!! I was right here!!! All you had to do was call Mommy and I’d come and open the door!!” She said a little light went on in his head, "Oh yeah...."
Then she wrote, "It made me think… how often, when we don’t know what to do or something is beyond our control, are we are overcome by worry… paralyzed by our fears? And our Heavenly Father kindly speaks, 'But dear child! I was right here… all you had to do was call…'”
That really resounded with me when I read it. Some of you know the challenges we've been facing down here lately. Situations that cause me to feel a little panicked and make it hard to breath some days.
But in the midst of everything that's happening, when I remember to step back and just ask God to open the door...He does.
A couple of things you can pray about with us...
There's a young guy who used to live with us, Ruddy, who's facing a difficult family time. Many of you know him. His mom is pretty sick and isn't doing very well. I've been spending a lot of time walking that road with him, trying to help prepare him for the eventuality that she might not be here much longer. It's tough because he really doesn't have anyone else.
Even in the midst of the tears and emotion that goes with that, it's been cool to see God at work. Ruddy has an older brother who lives in Argentina who they haven't seen in probably two or three years. It's been over a year since they talked to him (the number they have for him doesn't work). Yesterday Ruddy was in tears because his mom keeps asking for this brother but Ruddy didn't know how to contact him. He wrote a message to a friend who lives in Argentina to let the brother know they were trying to contact him, but this friend only checks his Facebook every month or so. Ruddy was thinking about going to try and find his brother but he was afraid his mom would die while he was gone. He was feeling completely overwhelmed by trying to figure out what to do.
We talked about it, and in the middle of the tears I tried to encourage him to focus on the moment and what needed to happen right now...and to trust God with the rest. Then we prayed that his brother would get in contact with them. On my drive home I threw in a little more prayer and really asked God to help them make that connection.
Ten minutes after I got home, Ruddy called. He was so emotional I couldn't figure out what we were talking about at first. Then I understood...his brother had called. After over a year. You really can't fault God's timing. Ruddy needed to know that he wasn't alone on this journey and that God was listening. So God showed him.
We call out and God listens.
As well, a couple of weeks ago the owner of the house asked for a meeting. Turns out they want to sell the house (after telling us this year that we could have it as long as we needed). They're going to honour our contract which gives us until February to figure something out. That may seem like a long time, but it's really not. We had a tough time finding the house we're in, and I haven't seen many other places that would suit us as well. But having said that, I'm not overly worried. I have no doubt there will be some challenges involved, but God has proven himself incredibly faithfully up to this point...so I certainly have no reason to think that's going to change.
At this point we feel like our next step is to try and build...as crazy and overwhelming as that seems some days. But we've had plans for a few years now and it seems like the time. I'll have more info soon on that for those of you who are interested.
There are other situations...some are pretty serious (panic, can't breath inducing), but through it all God is showing His faithfulness. I get frustrated with the guys and God moves in one of them to do something thoughtful and mature and they all get to live another day. I get overwhelmed by the number of needs here and how to try and meet them and then God changes my heart and helps me to understand that it's not by my strength but by His. We call and He listens.
Thanks again for praying everyone. When you pray it really does make a difference down here.
Check back here in the next couple of days because I might have some pretty cool news to share! =)
Yimy's a few blocks away in the truck so I have to go. Just gonna leave it at that for now...
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