The story I can now tell.
Today's blog post is written with one supposition in mind: That nothing happens in the life of a Christian by accident. There are no coincidences. There is no luck. Random isn't. I believe that God still has His hand on creation, that He's still very much involved in the day-to-day of His children's lives. I don't claim to know the why things happen, though, nor even understand half of what does. Often times, I just go with it and not try to over-think it.
As some of you know, I've been very blessed to be asked to help facilitate a Bible study on Wednesday mornings at the Ogden Rescue Mission. Aside from providing temporary housing, the mission supports an in-resident program to help people with substance abuse problems re-start their lives. It's a year long program.
One of the first lessons I've learned about this program is that people come and people go. I suppose it's just part of the deal. Sometimes the help they provide isn't suitable for the individual. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes, I suppose, there are other factors in one's decision to leave.
A month or so ago, I walked in and saw new faces in the crowd. One was someone that I recognized because he is the brother of the man who Wendi left me for. I've been tippy-toeing around that for a while because I think people have a right to privacy. Now that this man is no longer a part of the program, I don't think it violates anything at this point and the greater point is one that makes the story worth telling.
This man was involved in the whole debacle with the bakery. For a time, the business was legally his. As I said, it got ugly back then. But five years later, and a whole lot of water under the bridge, I find that Gods grace allows me to give grace and forgiveness to others. You read stories about it all the time...how a wronged family forgives, and sometimes even befriends someone who's caused them an unbelievable amount of sorrow. God is good that way. Sometimes you read Scripture; other times God drives the point home by making you LIVE Scripture. I'm pretty sure Jesus was serious when He said "If you love Me, keep My commandments". And it was Jesus who told us to love our enemies.
A couple of weeks after this man joined us, a young man would let me know that he was from the same town as the aforementioned former wife. Richmond, Indiana is a very small city; smaller than Ogden and where Wendi is from. To have her boyfriend's brother and a guy from her hometown in the same room as me was no accident. I don't know the WHY. I never will.
Sadly, this morning I learned that one of the men is no longer in the program. I'm unsure of the status of the young man from Richmond; he wasn't present this morning. I don't know if he's no longer in the program but I know that the ex's boyfriend's brother isn't. It's not all bad news; I was told he found a different program that's more suited to his needs.
I can't and won't pretend I wasn't upset by this at first. I think I wanted some sympathy. I didn't get any. My pastor laughed...and to be fair, I did too. My sister thought it was cool. My coworker who I told was more upset that his wife wanted to have him paint and was more focused on his problems than he was mine. I think what I needed was exactly what I got...don't make a big deal out of it. So I didn't.
By the time I learned about the young man from Richmond, my reaction to his answer to the innocent question "Where in Indiana are you from?" was a physically exaggerated "Of course you are!" and laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.
There was a time that I wouldn't have been able to handle such things. God is good that way too, because He gives us things we can't handle on our own and helps us grow in strength and wisdom to deal with things like people who have hurt us. He changes us. He changed me. I didn't change me. You can't have an encounter with God without Him changing you as a result of it.
I saw a Facebook meme the other month ago that, while using pop culture references, rings of truth. The fact that there's a stairway to Heaven and a highway to Hell indicates expected traffic volumes, it said. That pathway of following Jesus is narrow. Sometimes the going is tough. Sometimes things happen to you that you'll never in a million years understand, but what I do understand is this:
God IS Sovereign. Nothing can happen to me in a vacuum. He knows, and he either orchestrates or allows it. God knows how I feel about it, but in the end it's for His Glory and my good. That I can tell this story is a testament to that Glory and my good.
That's the story I've been tippytoeing around for the last month. Thanks for letting me share.
To God be the Glory!
As some of you know, I've been very blessed to be asked to help facilitate a Bible study on Wednesday mornings at the Ogden Rescue Mission. Aside from providing temporary housing, the mission supports an in-resident program to help people with substance abuse problems re-start their lives. It's a year long program.
One of the first lessons I've learned about this program is that people come and people go. I suppose it's just part of the deal. Sometimes the help they provide isn't suitable for the individual. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes, I suppose, there are other factors in one's decision to leave.
A month or so ago, I walked in and saw new faces in the crowd. One was someone that I recognized because he is the brother of the man who Wendi left me for. I've been tippy-toeing around that for a while because I think people have a right to privacy. Now that this man is no longer a part of the program, I don't think it violates anything at this point and the greater point is one that makes the story worth telling.
This man was involved in the whole debacle with the bakery. For a time, the business was legally his. As I said, it got ugly back then. But five years later, and a whole lot of water under the bridge, I find that Gods grace allows me to give grace and forgiveness to others. You read stories about it all the time...how a wronged family forgives, and sometimes even befriends someone who's caused them an unbelievable amount of sorrow. God is good that way. Sometimes you read Scripture; other times God drives the point home by making you LIVE Scripture. I'm pretty sure Jesus was serious when He said "If you love Me, keep My commandments". And it was Jesus who told us to love our enemies.
A couple of weeks after this man joined us, a young man would let me know that he was from the same town as the aforementioned former wife. Richmond, Indiana is a very small city; smaller than Ogden and where Wendi is from. To have her boyfriend's brother and a guy from her hometown in the same room as me was no accident. I don't know the WHY. I never will.
Sadly, this morning I learned that one of the men is no longer in the program. I'm unsure of the status of the young man from Richmond; he wasn't present this morning. I don't know if he's no longer in the program but I know that the ex's boyfriend's brother isn't. It's not all bad news; I was told he found a different program that's more suited to his needs.
I can't and won't pretend I wasn't upset by this at first. I think I wanted some sympathy. I didn't get any. My pastor laughed...and to be fair, I did too. My sister thought it was cool. My coworker who I told was more upset that his wife wanted to have him paint and was more focused on his problems than he was mine. I think what I needed was exactly what I got...don't make a big deal out of it. So I didn't.
By the time I learned about the young man from Richmond, my reaction to his answer to the innocent question "Where in Indiana are you from?" was a physically exaggerated "Of course you are!" and laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.
There was a time that I wouldn't have been able to handle such things. God is good that way too, because He gives us things we can't handle on our own and helps us grow in strength and wisdom to deal with things like people who have hurt us. He changes us. He changed me. I didn't change me. You can't have an encounter with God without Him changing you as a result of it.
I saw a Facebook meme the other month ago that, while using pop culture references, rings of truth. The fact that there's a stairway to Heaven and a highway to Hell indicates expected traffic volumes, it said. That pathway of following Jesus is narrow. Sometimes the going is tough. Sometimes things happen to you that you'll never in a million years understand, but what I do understand is this:
God IS Sovereign. Nothing can happen to me in a vacuum. He knows, and he either orchestrates or allows it. God knows how I feel about it, but in the end it's for His Glory and my good. That I can tell this story is a testament to that Glory and my good.
That's the story I've been tippytoeing around for the last month. Thanks for letting me share.
To God be the Glory!
Comments
Post a Comment