Is What We Are Doing Making a Difference

So let me start by saying, I think I am back or at least I am going to try and be.  I have been struggling lately with feeling defeated or getting discouraged, wanting to give up on the very thing I feel God pulling me towards.  I have been praying about it, trying to defeat the enemy and all his negative talk and it has been helping, but I keep getting this gentle nudge towards my blog again.  I blogged through one of the most difficult times in my life and God showed me amazing things through it.  This is kind of like my journal, somewhere for me to pour my thoughts out in writing.  Yes, I know it's online and out there for whoever decides to read it but that's ok with me.  I figure if I am learning, struggling, or going through something, there is probably 1 other person out there somewhere that might be going through the same thing.  Anyways, I have always appreciated comments, words of encouragement, and even kind words of disagreement or wisdom that I might not see so please feel free to chime in with your thoughts on anything I might post. There are a lot of wise people in this world and I truly believe that if we put all our heads together sometimes, we can come up with some very wise answers to some very difficult issues.  Let me dive in.

I am currently volunteering as a Team Leader for Safe Families for Children in the DFW area.  I have felt called to work with hurting children since I was in high school but I never really felt comfortable with CPS and working for the government, etc... I then began a family of my own and life took over so my passions and desires changed a little but there was always this desire in the back of my heart.  While living in MD, about a year before we moved back to TX, my brother and his wife became in involved with Safe Families.  I was thrilled, I loved there model.  It was exactly what I was looking for.  A biblical model of walking alongside a family in a time of need.  Isn't that what the church, Gods' people, are called to do.  This model really hit home to me for a couple reasons:

  1.  I was a single mom for a while and had I not had the help and support of my family and some   great friends, things could of ended up very different for me. 
  2. When I was sick, I could not have made it through without the love, support, and time commitment of my people.  They all devoted lots of extra towards us so that we did not fall apart in a time of need.  They were the hands and feet of God.


So, after seeing Safe Families model, I thought WOW!  We then moved to Texas and I sought out the DFW director.  Long story short, after about a year of living here, we dove straight in to the organization.  God has provided lots of amazing people in my area that have latched and fell in love with this model.  It's awesome!  (I am sure I will fill in the details later)

This brings me to my point for this writing (I know, FINALLY!).  The more I get involved and the more I fall in love with these kids and with their moms and my host families, the more my heart breaks.  Many times after a particular situation does not end the way I would like, I find myself asking: "Did it really matter?"  "Did we really make a difference?" "Was all that time, effort, heart break, prayer, etc... done in vain?" Here is what I am learning.....


  1. These questions are the enemies way of trying to defeat something good so I go to WAR as quick as I can(sometimes that's not very quick).  I go to war!  Side note: if you haven't watched the War Room, you really should.
  2. We live in a world that needs to see results NOW! And when we don't we get discouraged and then we either stop stepping out in faith or we change directions.  I am learning I might not always see the results that I think should happen....my idea/my best might not be God's idea/God's best.  I may not see results, but I have to trust that He does!
  3. It's ok, it's actually GOOD, to love and to be broken. Each family that we have fallen in love with, we now have a strong connection with.  We pray for them, we think about them and if asked, we would step in and be there for them in a heart beat.  Sometimes, that is all that is needed.  The more we love them and the more we are broken, the harder we fight, therefore His hands and feet get stronger.
  4. We are called to LOVE!  I searched the phrase LOVE ONE ANOTHER in Bible gateway and it returned over 20 passages....that tells me it must be important.  I won't list them all but I love this one:   God Is Love Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
  5. We are called to be His hands and feet! Jesus gathered disciples to learn and walk with Him.  He sent them out to do his work and to gather more.  We are the more, we are the people called to do His work. 
  6. Perfection is NOT attainable.  If we sit round and wait for the perfect plan, the perfect ministry, the perfect opportunity then we are missing out on the work that God could be doing through us in the meantime.  I have to trust that He is going to use me regardless of my imperfection.  


Throughout the last year, I have been stretched and broken.  I have watched my family and friends be stretched and broken with me but we have learned and grown through the process.  Through working with this ministry, I definitely see some things that can be done different.  I see that we can do more(I'll get to this in a later post).  I have been tempted to throw my hands in the air and go back to the easy, comfortable way things were before....but each time, God pulls me back with just the right person or word from with a close friend or a total stranger.  I am pushing on, I am working to do more instead of give up on His people because God has never given up on me.  We are continuing to be His hands and feet and do whatever we can while we work on a plan to do more.  We are going to continue to Love and extend His grace!





Comments

  1. That nails it. Great post and yes you have to continue one because you are inspiring me to continue one.

    Becky

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  2. I am so glad to see this post! You know, you inspired me to begin writing again several years ago. As far as what you're doing with Safe Families For Children, what an awesome ministry. There you go inspiring me again. Looking forward to hearing more about it.

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