An email that surprised me

Graphic from motomessage.com

I'm written before about the hardships I endured when I worked as an H.S.A. for 2 years at an Immigration Detainment center.  It ended badly and they acted like I'd done wrong - but I didn't do the things that they said I did.  It makes me sad when I think about it.

I pray and ask God to help me learn whatever I was supposed to learn and then focus on my life today.

None the less, I was blessed by receiving an email from the man who'd been warden for a bit over half of the time I'd worked at that job.  He'd left due to medical reasons.  Imagine how my heart felt when I read these words this morning:

"Tracy, I am cleaning up my contact list, but felt compelled to send you a note. I feel very bad about your experience at Adelanto. You are a wonderful person who was tasked with an impossible job. I appreciate the countless hours and effort you put into your work. You are an outstanding person and I appreciate you.  Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. Thanks again, and don't let people who are serving their own selfish interests define who you are"

Lacking Motivation

Photo from http://www.studentloannetwork.com

I can't seem to get motivated in the current finance class I'm taking.  I just have to push myself to work on the coursework and can barely seem to do that.  In general I find going to school + work + life difficult but in the other two classes I've taken so far I've found them so interesting that I can push myself to do the work.  But the truth is that finance is not really my thing.  I'm not particularly a lover of numbers.  The chapter on budgeting was the only one I really got into so far. 

Yet....I think I heard right and that God impressed on me to go back to school.  So I pray for God to help me become more disciplined.

A welcome interruption

I'm actually starting to look forward to that time when I first get home from work and ride the exercise bike.  This is not a spectacular or glamorous exercise bike, this is a $5 garage sale bike.  Such is my approach to life.

I'm on call 24/7 so I felt a bit displeased as I was peddling along and heard the thunk of a text.  Quickly glancing down while still peddling I saw that it was my son Daniel.  Since it wasn't work, I finished out the next ten minutes before reading it.

I could read the excitement in his words so I called him.  He was excited because God had used him!

Recently I'd mentioned how he's started leading a Bible study with his team mates at school. Since the 9 team mates said they wanted to come, it  hasn't really appeared to pan out.  The first week 3 people showed up.  The second meeting only one.  He'd questioned if he'd heard wrong - if he was supposed to start it after all.  I'd encouraged him that this occurrence is not unusual and that he just needs to make sure he's obedient and leave the results to God.

Today 7 people showed up.  One of the 7 was a girl  from his team who only came along because some other friends had came.  When they were examining a verse about grace she voiced how this was not at all how she understood Christianity.  She'd previously been involved with a very active "Christian" group on his campus that teaches grace + works = salvation.  They continued to  look at what the Bible says about the free gift of faith and salvation and discuss the topic.  Another girl in the group started talking about how she's always felt like she really couldn't be a Christian because she just can't get her stuff together; she was intrigued by this discussion. No one made any decision today, but they were looking at the Bible, faith, and God in a different way and asking relevant questions.

Later in the day Daniel bumped into the girl who had just happened along to the study today.  Daniel told me that he sensed that she wanted to talk but was hesitant so he stepped out in faith and went and talked with her.  She began to open up to him and share her burdened heart.  She was overwhelmed by the burden of this false teaching of all the things she had to do to be right with God that this group has been teaching her.  As Daniel shared more with her he could see that she wanted to believe but was not quite there yet.

But he was euphoric.  I know that feeling.  It doesn't matter how small it may seem to others.  To get to be used by the God of the universe to help others = total rush!

I'm smiling away as I'm typing because I'm so grateful to see my 19-year old son seeking God and being used by Him.  Tonight I'm praying for these team mates of Daniel's.  I continue to pray for Daniel.

I'm looking forward to seeing God use Daniel in future days.

Thinking about how God works

This morning I'm thinking on how God is working in my son Dylan's life. A while back I shared about how Dylan and his girlfriend were having a baby. Lillian Eden White came into our lives this past February.  She's beautiful and wonderful.  She is growing and changing every day.  She truly is a gift from God.

But what I'm thinking on this morning is how grateful I am for the changes in Dylan. Dylan's a wonderful person but we went through a really tough time his last two years of high school and first year of college.  He got into smoking dope, partying, being self confident to the point of unrealistic about himself.  It was a  hurtful and sad time.  I kept wondering what happened to all the seeds I'd sown into his life of love, truth, and God's word.

But lately I've been seeing some results from those seeds.  Once he found out his girlfriend Kelsie was pregnant, he stepped up to the plate.  He asked her to marry him (OK, OK, I'll be honest here - it bugs me that they are still engaged, have a kid and live together but aren't married yet.  I have to remind myself that it's their lives, not mine).  He moved in with her and took responsibility.  He is working 35 hours during 5 evenings a week.  He goes to school full time 2 nights and online.  While his girlfriend works during the day he stays home with Lilly and makes them dinner each night.  He's doing well in school and working toward his BS in Business.  He remains crazy about Lilly and in love with Kelsie.  He manages all their bills and works diligently to be frugal with their money. When we talk on the phone he never complains.  He talks about how fun Lilly is, what he's learning in school, new things he's tried cooking, and ways he's found to be wise with his money. He's a good man.  I admire him. I'm grateful for what God is doing in his life.

There is not a doubt in my mind that God used the birth of Lillian Eden to bring Dylan to his senses and get him off the destructive path he was taking.

I continue to pray that God would draw Dylan back to Himself.  That God would bring both Kelsie and Dylan to Himself.  That He would cause Dylan's heart to open up and desire to read the Word.  That they would meet another young couple who truly love God who will reach out to them - that they would get into a local church.

I'm grateful for what God's done, is doing, and will do in my son Dylan's life.

Delighted

Imagine my delight to read an email from my youngest son telling me about an experience he’d had with a sermon he’d heard at church.  The pastor had spoken about the importance of small groups.  Instead of feeling impressed to attend a small group, Daniel felt impressed to start one with his team mates.  He sent out an invite and had 9 team mates say they’d be interested.