An Opportunity I almost missed...

I have to admit...I haven't been @ church on Wednesday night yet this fall...until last night. I debated on whether to go or not, but Matt had a meeting so I had to go pick up the kids anyway...so I decided I might as well go and see where the Lord will use me..maybe Aaron would have a teacher not show...maybe Joe would have a small group leader not come, I really didn't know what I would be doing. I took my BSF study with me so I could work on it. But that is not what God had planned for me.

See this is my first year not to be a youth small group leader. On the way to church I felt tears whelp up in my eyes thinking about how much I miss my girls from my small group. They have all graduated and left for college. Transitioning from a youth minister's wife to an associate minister's wife...well...it has just rocked my world. I have felt lost and alone...useless for awhile. But I feel like I am coming out of it and seeing where God is taking me. So I put my big girl pants on and went last night and prayed...just use me where you need me.

I sat in the youth worship for awhile...then as they were dismissed for small group I wandered out in the Gathering Area. And that is where I found why I was there...a young mom of 4 kids. Precious little kids! They recently up and left their life in Florida to raise their kids in a more Godly environment. Their families are all back in Florida. They had to go back for a little over a month to work on some house issues and now they are finally back. I met them on their first day to visit FCC back in August. So sweet...so easy to talk with. She looks so young, but I found out last night she is 31. OK...that is not old I know...but I thought she was like 25 or something!!

She began to share her life with me. Telling me how they felt God lead them to Owasso to raise their family. She home schools her kids...which I totally admire. WOW! She also shared with me how she has lost 2 children. One she was pregnant with and at 7 months found out it had a brain tumor and lost it and the other died in his sleep at 2 1/2 years old. As a mom...that is one of your nightmares that you hope and pray never ever comes true. They have been thru a lot in there little lives. We shared about our marriages and that it is hard somedays, but you push your way thru it you work on it and you love them for who God created them to be.

I know I keep looking at her hair...Why? Because she had a beanie on and I was so worried she was going thru chemo or something and I wanted soo bad to ask her about it. She must have noticed me starring at her because she finally said she had her husband shave her head because all the stress they have been thru she just wanted something easy! Wowser! What a brave girl! She looked beautiful to me. I was relieved to know she wasn't sick. Amen!

It came time to pick up our children and she thanked me for our talk. After we picked up our kids...she gave me a hug and asked if we could go get coffee sometime. I have to say...I really enjoyed our talk. I have a passion for young couples and I know without a doubt that is where I was suppose to be last night. What if I would have just stayed home? I would have missed out an opportunity to encourage this young mom and to be used by God. They have no family here...they need people in their lives to be there for them. There are so many young families without "family" living close to them that need couples to reach out to them.

I just want to encourage anyone out there that might read this...don't stay "home" when God can use you to minister to someone. Open yourselves up and let God show you how blessed you will be by sharing your life with someone else. I am so glad I didn't stay home by myself last night. I would have just watched TV or something ridiculous like that! Thank you Jesus for leading me to her. She blessed my life!
Blessings,
Steph