Raining

I know that everyone at times in life will talk about when it rains it pours. The obvious hope is that the rain will slow down or stop. We need rain especially in the desert but too much all at once means that we are flooded out. Over the last month I have been around a fare share of people and teens that are drowning. I have thrown out not life rafts but the gospel in different ways. As I wait to see what happens it requires me to realize I can’t fix or help anyone. The one who is more than able to help is Jesus Christ who may choose to use my awesome wife, my many friends or me.

We are going to Flagstaff tomorrow to enjoy the cold and the snow. I am amazed that we are able to gather enough adults and vehicles to take 80 to Winged Mountain Snow Area. As I sat and talked with a great friend, Victor, who is my age, it is obvious that age may not help with wrinkles or gray hair but does with understanding life’s pitfalls and seeing the future can be better.

As I chat with a new friend who has lived most of her life on the streets in tough situations it is a blessing to be able to give her one of our used mac laptops. She’s not someone who is going to catch on fast with surfing the net or doing a resume but it will give her hope and a sense of being loved by God’s family. This friend of mine is such an encouragement because she has hit bottom and understands how some of my new friends that are homeless feel.

The key to life for all of us is having someone else walk along side to give us a sense of hope and an ear to listen. I had a call from another youth yesterday afternoon that was struggling with life and had told a friend that he had thoughts of taking his life. This other friend then tells someone else about this his thoughts and they call someone who works with at risk youth and understands how to intervene in life threatening circumstances. As I am talking with my great friend Victor this one teen walks into the coffee shop. I’m so blessed to have Victor who then begins to talk with this youth. He then proceeds to take him to a drugstore to get his meds and drop off at the YMCA.

As I’m listening to my other friend who has lived on the streets sharing how she is helping another friend, a gifted artist, get her act together. Her friend had attempted suicide a week ago and decided to take her into her home. So as we share about the needs for making boundaries for everyone it becomes paramount for our friends in special circumstances to do the same. The challenge is what to do when our friends continue to do extreme things in life to get attention or purposely hurt themselves.

I knew that today would be a busy crazy day so I started early to get organized for our trip tomorrow and also help another youth with his grandma talk to a counselor. As I finish at the coffee I’m more and more aware of how God is the one who puts together circumstances that ultimately see grace and mercy intersect a person’s life. I’m thrilled to see the gospel impact my life and my many friends’ lives!!