The Girl that God uses....

We have started a tradition for Easter....or as we like it, "Resurrection Sunday". We go to a new church  with dear friends and enjoy the annual community breakfast. It's cold, it's in a school gym and it's not fancy. But the people there are amazing! They start preparing breakfast for hundreds at FIVE in the morning!! (The non-morning person in me screams - Nooooooo!) The tables are set with eggs, potatoes, ham, bacon, fruit, cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, and so much more. These people are servants. They work all morning preparing, serving and cleaning up. It blesses me so much!

This year, though, God gave me a bigger and brighter gift!! One of our homeless teen girls that goes to Girls Nite In each month was there! I was in awe. As I waited in line for my food, this precious girl ran up to me, hugged me and said "HEY!!!!" I was so excited to see her and surprised! Here's this girl who lives in a shelter and she's SERVING breakfast to hundreds. She is starving herself but not for food.....she is starving for love, acceptance, family and the Lord's mercy. Every month at Girls Nite In, this cute freckled face girl runs up to me to say HI.....she hugs me each time and she SERIOUSLY melts my heart. I am not supposed to have "favorites" but I do. How can you not favor a girl who is that precious?

God uses her in my life as a reminder. A reminder that all the studying, tears, time and work that goes into ONE Girls Nite In meeting is worth it........because she is there. God brings about 60 teen girls each month and a handful of them live at this shelter. There are not enough words to describe what that has done to my heart. It wrecks me. It melts me. It challenges me. God puts the girls' faces in my mind each time I prepare to speak. He has bound my heart to theirs and they have no idea!!!

You know how with each child you have.....you wonder "how will I have enough love to go around?" I think every mom wonders that. Yet, the Lord gives us a never ending amount of love. He IS LOVE and when we know the Father, we have LOVE to give. The teen girls are like my adopted kids.....they move my heart, they overflow my cup and God uses each girl to multiply the love I have for them. Not only am I in love with my three precious children......but God has blessed my life with countless teens who........seriously......if they knew how much I adored them, loved them and thought of them.....it would scare them!!! I am beyond grateful for this journey God has me on. Thank you Lord for your amazing gifts!

"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." 1 John 4:8