Lost For Words

In college I developed a strong friendship with one of my pastors, Wayne. He became my primary mentor and partner in ministry. One day I came to him with some concerns about dating. I didn't want to date, I didn't see anyone worth dating, I sometimes had crushes (which I hated), and I didn't like the guys that like me. How was I supposed to know when to give someone a chance? We were eating some awesome lasagna because it was Home Fellowship night. We kind of ditched the fellowship to have this discussion. Wayne assured me that it was okay to have crushes and it was okay not to accept every suitor. He explained it in a way I never would have believed coming from most other people. "You're God's daughter. Since God's the King that makes you a Princess. So you are a treasure. Any man that doesn't see that is not worth dating!" With a mouth full of lasagna I said "thank you." I was stunned. I had never made those connections befo...

One day I was spending time on the streets of Chicago with a few friends. We met a lot of people that day but one in particular stood out to me. His name is Tony. We found Tony sitting on a metal post at the end of one of the bridges that cross the Chicago River. He was dressed poorly for the chilly weather and looked exhausted yet content. We approached and asked if we could sit with him and talk for a while. He welcomed us into his space. We shared a little about ourselves and asked Tony about his own story. He shared a most surprising tale considering his circumstances.  "I've been homeless for a few years now. I had trouble paying my bills and ended up evicted and without anyone willing to hire me. So I try to find work here and there but it's hard to get consistent work when I can't even clean myself up! I mostly sleep outside but sometimes make enough to get a room for the night. It's great to be able to shower and have a warm meal every now and then....

This summer, Tim and I moved into a small apartment. We were planning to stay there for a year or more. In order to move in late in the Spring we took over someone's lease and had to go without professional cleaning during the changeover. We did manage to score some of the previous tenant's furniture though! It was a little weird sleeping on someone else's old mattress but we didn't have the money to buy a new one at the time. She also left us a futon, a super cute dining table and chairs, a microwave, a mirror, and a tv stand! It was perfect for setting up our first apartment especially since we did not have extra money to furnish our new home. Since we took over the lease but wanted professional cleaning to be done at some point, we would have been required to move out for three weeks in August and move in to a different apartment in the same complex at the end of the month. So we made plans to visit family and friends and to move our belongings into a storage...

One day I was walking down State Street in Chicago heading home from lunch with a friend. I happened upon a little old lady who was sitting on a planter and asking for money. I stopped to chat with her and learned that she didn't speak much English. Thankfully, we understood each other better in Spanish and were able to have a nice conversation. She was from Spain. She was wearing a black head scarf and a long, flowing, tan dress. She wore sandals that looked like they were tired of walking. No jewelry. She told me her name was Zoila. She was hoping to meet people on the street who could help meet her needs. She lived with her two daughters in a tiny apartment in the city. They didn't have enough money for both shelter and food so they decided to keep the apartment and eat when there was extra money. I said "I'm sorry I don't have any cash with me to give you. Is there anything I can buy or something I can do for you while I'm here?" She smiled s...

Dear God, You've given me stories. Thanks! Help me to share them with others that they might be encouraged, inspired, and pointed to you. Give me words to express your beauty to the masses. Be glorified.