Sunday Sentiments

 

Friday I shared that we had a fundraiser this weekend and I would welcome any prayers anyone had to spare. The fundraiser is now officially in the books and I am so grateful for the army of people who were praying over me/us/the event!

When I was asked to speak, the Lord put a message on my heart, and I have been so looking forward to sharing it. I was also fairly confident that the closer we got to the day of the event, the more Satan would be a huge pest, and my goodness. He sure was. 

Despite all of that, I was able to share the message boldly, and I was grateful for the opportunity. The Lord has shown me His goodness in many ways throughout this fundraiser, but the one I want to share today happened on the way home that night. 

Ryan and I had driven a 15 passenger van so we could carry props to the venue, and it was the middle of the day when we arrived. When we got ready to leave that night, we discovered the van doesn't have headlights! No good!! So we needed a new ride home. Sean and Sarah had driven the WillowBridge van, so we caught a ride with them, and they were also taking home one of our former tenants who no longer lives at WillowBridge.

She had shared her own story through a video that night - and then even bravely got on stage. I was so proud of her for that alone. She was so nervous!

As we drove home, she talked most of the way, sharing the things that she feels were the most helpful to her while she lived in our building. She shared things she wished other tenants would have taken more to heart so they could have had an experience more like hers. She shared her successes since moving out and how she feels like her life is on a much better trajectory than it was before she came. 

Sometimes we get to see these successes play out, but we don't often get to hear former tenants articulate their thoughts on their time with us and how it prepared them for independence after leaving WillowBridge. I think all of us in the van needed those words of encouragement from her.

Ryan and I have talked many times about how success has come to look very different to us than it did before we came here. We cannot measure it by the world's definition, or we'll live in constant discouragement. 

We have to decide that our success is merely being faithful to the Lord and trusting Him with the outcome. 

This young lady was one of the first faces I saw inside WillowBridge the day we came to interview. I remember her so vividly. (She brought brownies!!!) She and I have had hundreds of hours of conversation. We've had hard talks, fun laughs, a billion movie nights, and so much learning. I am supremely proud of the woman she has become. I know she won't do everything perfectly going forward, but she used her time at WillowBridge well, and she encouraged my heart this weekend. I'm grateful for her.