A Room Full of Wanted

Last March I was blessed to spend a weekend with several Red Raider girls in the mountains of New Mexico. The time was completely sweet. There was something Marla said, though, that has stuck with me these last several months. She told of how sometimes she wakes up in the mornings to be mommy to her three little ones not feeling so joyful, or beautiful, or worthy. She went on to say how she would sing God's truths over herself because His truth was truth, whether she felt it or not.

That has stuck with me.

Last Thursday night, after a very busy, very trying week, I climbed into our big recliner and called the thirteen girls at our house in for a time of quiet before they began drinking their sodas and Red Bulls in order to stay up all night.

Honestly, I was so physically and emotionally exhausted from the first three days of the week, that I almost called the "girls' night" off. Oh, thank You God, that my selfishness didn't win out this time.

I asked the girls to share some things they believed about themselves.

"I'm ugly."

"I'm not worthy of friends who care."

On and on they went, spewing out these things that were lies from the enemy.

Then I had them speak Truth about themselves. It was difficult for them.

One precious girl, in a wad laying at the side of my chair began to weep. I knew what was going on in her life and reached over and held on to her leg and said, "You are wanted!"

Wanted.

By the Most High.

He doesn't ignore our calling out to Him. As a matter of fact, Psalm 116:2 says that He inclines His ear to hear us. He bends over to catch every whisper directed His way.

Be still my heart.

I looked around at the beauty in that room. The hearts that wanted to be wanted. To be chosen.

Help them get it Lord. Help them understand that only You can fill that God-sized hole that is yearning to be loved. To be beautiful and to be chosen. To be wanted.

Only You.

We Need More Towels!

It takes one towel to be draped around shoulders as they step out of the watering tub; to pat face, and to squeeze dripping hair.

To soak up as they stand and watch. They watch as the next one steps gingerly into the warmed water for their own dunking.

One towel for each body.

Each one standing because they choose to walk the life road differently.

Each body with one hand holding Youth Minister, the other holding Dad. Or one holding Youth Minister, the other holding Spiritual Hero; or one holding Youth Minister, the other holding Mom.

Then there is the couple wanting to start out their “rest of their lives” on a spiritual foundation.

There are plenty of tears. There are a whole bunch of smiles.

My heart can hardly handle the sweetness. The sweetness of seeing family gathered around.

The sweetness of having to buy more towels.

God is Here

We are day four of youth camp here in the hills of northern Arkansas. God is here. I honestly think some of the kids didn't even stop to think that He might come to meet with us.

They are overwhelmed.

He is so good.

I'm in between cleaning up after breakfast and cooking for an early lunch so we can go in to Eureka Springs to go through the Bible Land tour and then end our evening with worship at Thorncrown Chapel. Then back here for a late night snack of apple dumplings and ice cream. Ummm.

We've had very little sleep and a touch of a stomach bug. Nothing Pepto hasn't been able to handle.

Please pray for these kids because walls are coming down. Lives are being changed.

All those prayers you have been offering up have been received and acted on. There was lots of weeping in cabins last night because, yes, God is here.

We are bringing Him back with us.

You will see Him in their faces.