One shade of one color of one strand...

Last week, a group from Alabama arrived to work with us for the week ahead. They are going to build a new home for a single mom and her four children, ranging in age from 16 to 6. It was a very convicting day, and God always knows what I need, right when I need it.

The month of July has been a hard one for our family personally. Ongoing health issues, fatigue, multiple car problems, house problems, stress, etc. At the end of this, I found myself feeling pretty down. Overwhelmed is really the better word, and that is because I needed some perspective. I needed to be reminded how BIG our God is, and how tiny my problems really are.

That's where this house build comes in.

When we arrived, the mother (I'm not using names here intentionally) was there, up to her knees in mud, trying to move all their possessions into a shed where they will be staying this week. It was raining pretty hard yesterday and the day before, so the entire "lot" that she owns was a giant mud pit. Not dirt, not rocks, sticky, pull-your-shoes-off-your-feet, MUD.

Their house did not have a floor, so the inside of their house was muddy as well. When it rains hard, the rain and mud would go directly into their living room. 


On top of all this, two of her children have major health problems. Her oldest, who is 16, is in remission from leukemia right now. When she was 6, she was diagnosed, had chemotherapy treatment, etc. Now every time she gets sick, she has to be checked by the doctor. Her youngest, who is 6, has been diagnosed with some type of heart disease. She needs open heart surgery, but the doctors told her that when the surgery is performed, they will most likely take her away from them because of the state of their home.

That's where our God comes in. He always knows the exact moment when we need His help. And He doesn't leave us stranded. Even if it means sending a team of people from another country to help. To love on His children.

So this week, a Mom will end her turmoil for now over losing her child to foster care. She will gain a home with a real floor, up off the muddy ground. She will have a real bathroom. She will have a real roof. And maybe she'll be able to sleep a little easier. She will never again be able to think or say that God has forgotten her, or that He doesn't care about her & her precious family. This week will not end all of her pain, take away all her struggles, or fix her children's health issues. But this week just might be the start of healing. The start of hope. The spark of a new belief in our Great God. 


I love this quote, and I think it applies perfectly:

"Our stories affect one another whether we know it or not. Sometimes obedience isn't for us at all, but for another. We don't know how God holds the kingdom in balance or why He moves a chess piece at a crucial time; we might never see the results of his sovereignty. But we can trust Him when He says press on, cling to hope, stay the course. He is always at work, even if the entire thread is hidden. I might just be one shade of one color of one strand, but I'm a part of an elaborate tapestry that goes beyond my perception." (From 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. An excellent, excellent book!)

What is God asking you to do? You never know how He is planning on using your obedience to be a blessing to someone who is hurting.