my girl...a rose...and a homeless lady

i'd had a busy day planned a few months back.

too busy, i'd thought, to be sitting still 

with a sick little girl, 

but i sat.

thank goodness i slowed down.

He speaks when we're still.

my girl's sickness slowed me 

down because God wanted me to 

know something that day.

in my journal that sunny may day,

with tears rolling down my cheeks, 

i began to write.

i wrote what i felt God was 

putting on my heart for wales.

He took me to isaiah 53 and 

i wrote that day...

lead us to people who need you

the despised

the rejected

beauty that no man desires

people with sorrows

people with grief

let's not hide our faces from them

let's serve them

love them

intercede for them.

i didn't know it when i was writing, 

but those words would begin with lily. 

we've told our kids many times that 

God has a purpose for them every single day.

God chose last night to use lily for 

one of His purposes.

for the first time, lily accompanied james to one of the homeless ministry nights at our new church here in wales. 

james came home, with happy tears, 

explaining what had just happened. 

here is what he said...

"we were walking around neath inviting homeless people back to the church for a meal. lily insisted we pick roses off a rosebush as we were walking along. she told me she wanted to find the homeless lady she and ella always see as we drive though town so she could invite her to church.  we looked all around until we found her. lily boldly walked up to her and gave her one of the roses and then took it upon herself to invite the lady back to church. 

the homeless lady began to talk so fast and wouldn't stop smiling. 

she kissed lily on top of the head. 

later on, as we arrived back at church, that same lady showed up to get a bowl of soup. she began talking with lily again. 

lily pushed her own hair back from her face 

and listened intently.  

she looked the lady right in her eyes. 

the homeless lady said, "she's so sweet. 

she's really listening to me." and then the lady began to cry."

God used lily to minister to a lady who, i'm sure, feels despised. rejected. not beautiful. someone who's full of sorrow. full of grief.

lily didn't hide her face from that lady.

she served her. 

she loved her. 

just like Jesus would.

that's what compassion is all about....