Tired, Weary, BUT RIGHT WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO BE

As noted in earlier posts, I am currently enrolled in college full time, working at the college part time, while also working for ILC and LCA part time. These endeavors are added to my FULL time position of wife and mommy to 3 kids. As such, I am weary, tired, and getting more gray hairs every day. However, when I started going back to college, I asked God to let me be a witness and instrumental in bringing people to know Him better. One of the ways I have chosen to try to fulfill this is to treat every one with kindness and respect, going out of my way to make them comfortable. This has proven to be instrumental in starting lasting friendships and opportunities to witness and talk to unbelievers about God. Yesterday proved, yet again, that God has heard my prayers.

I am the Supplemental Instruction Leader for a Public Speaking class again this semester. Monday, a trio of young ladies attended my study session to seek assistance in preparing for their first big speech. All 3 of the ladies seem to have big attitudes, dress bling-bling, and always joking and laughing. But as I walked with them to my car and drove them down to our session, I noticed one of them was not as happy as I assumed her to be. As we discussed the assignment, she seemed a little distressed about the topic but didn't really want to share in front of her friends what she was going to discuss in her speech. This first speech was an Identity Speech in which you were to choose one BIG thing that you feel has influenced you and signifies who you are. I worked with the ladies trying to make them comfortable and knowledgeable about the assignment and by the time they left, everyone was smiling again.

Yesterday, the speeches began. The young lady who had been anxious on Monday was one of the scheduled speakers. Well, the students had been instructed to dress more professionally and she came in dressed in a jogging suit, ball cap, and tennis shoes. I was a little surprised because she always looks very nice when she comes to class and here she was dressed casually on Speech Day. I also noticed her talking to the instructor and trying to get out of speaking, saying she wasn't prepared. The instructor told her it would be better just to go ahead so that she got at least some points for the assignment. Her turn came and without notes or any of the paperwork, she grudgingly went to the front to speak. Little did the instructor or the rest of us know what was about to be revealed. She looked nervous and had to take a few deep breaths before starting to speak. Then...she spoke.

She spoke about being huddled on a bus stop bench at 3 am, cold, hungry, and not knowing where to go, where to find help. She spoke about how her father was verbally abusive and told her she was basically a nothing, no good, worthless. She spoke about how her father allowed a cousin to move into their home and then....she dropped a bombshell. With her sister and strangers sitting in the audience, this young lady for the first time, revealed that the cousin had molested her. By this point she is weeping and so are most of the women in the audience. She also said that recently she had been hungry and thought she might be able to get food if she went to her father's home. He berated her and refused to feed her. She went on to say that because of these horrible things happening to her she was determined to be happy, to succeed, to become something that mattered. Her last words were profound. She said she CHOOSES to be happy and always looks for something good in each day.

As she spoke, she kept looking right into my eyes, and with tears streaming down my own face, I kept nodding my head with encouragement for her to get this awful hurt out into the open. It seemed my little acts of kindness to her on Monday had formed a bond between us. When she was done, she grabbed her things and left the classroom. Her sister and friend sat in shock a moment and then grabbed their things and went to catch up with her. The instructor had to take a few minutes to collect herself before continuing the speeches. Everyone sat there quietly at first, in shock it seemed, and then gradually started talking again. The friend and sister came back to the classroom a few minutes later because they couldn't find her and I got her phone number from her sister. I plan on calling her today to make sure she is alright and to point her toward some counseling and assistance programs that the college has for students who are in need.

I was tired, weary and ready to go home when the class started but by the time she had finished speaking, I knew WHY I was in THAT particular class. God put me there to be a friend to the hurting. To comfort this young lady whose life is in upheaval and to let His light shine into her darkness. And hopefully, to be the one who leads her to the One who meets all our needs and who can dispel the darkness and fill her with His Spirit.

She is NOT the only one whose life God has touched through me. There are others. And I want to be ready, even while weary, to be used by Him to reach the lost and hurting. Please pray for me and this young lady. I want to say the right words to show her she is not alone. I also want to see her filled with the Spirit and comforted by our Heavenly Father.

I AM RIGHT WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO BE and I DO NOT want to take that for granted or ignore His call. I'll take the weary days and tired body if it means I am instrumental in winning souls to Christ!