I really have no idea what I'm doing....

Relational support.

That sums up much of my role at Outreach, Inc. When it comes to case management, obtaining IDs, job searches, etc. I 'pass the kids on' to other workers. So my job? Relational support. Support them relationally.

Seems simple, right? Sometimes I feel like I should be DOING more...have more notes, process more paperwork, keep big bulky files of documentation of every moment of every day that I spend at the place I call "work".

But instead, I drink lots of coffee, spend lots of time listening, drive all over the city, learn the ins and outs of library branches and spend many moments of my day just laughing and enjoying the clients for who they are.

Then there are moments, at least twice a week, where I am overwhelmed. I am sitting with a girl, she is often in tears, and I have no words. My ears are listening to her, while my heart is waiting on God to provide the guidance toward the path He wants me to take. It often doesn't make sense.

Last week, a girl was so angry, she was threatening verbally to hurt herself and others. My response? I gave her colored pencils. HA! I'm not even kidding. . . this is what came about an hour or so later . . .

She told me it was the first time she could remember being that upset and she didn't end up hurting herself. Hmm, proof of Jesus being real? Yepper. 

 Today, I was in a similar situation. . . the overwhelmed situation. A girl was feeling deep rejection and when we got down to that tender spot of hurt, the Holy Spirit guided me as I expressed to her the deep love He has for her. Then I told her to go sit by herself for ten minutes and just ask God to talk to her. "He will just talk to me?" . . . having never heard an audible voice from God myself, I was a bit unsure of how to answer that, so I just said, "yes."

While she was off, I just kept praying and asking for God to show up. "PLEASE SHOW HER HOW REAL YOU ARE AND HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HER." . . in those or similar words over and over again.

She came back to me in tears, saying "God loves me, He thinks I'm special and beautiful and perfectly made."

No words I could have said with my mortal lips would have impacted her heart like that. He answered my prayer, calmed her heart and displayed His loving faithfulness. Was there a James-Earl-Jones sounding voice speaking from the clouds? I certainly didn't hear it, but however it happened, God spoke truth to her. It was a fantastically beautiful moment.

I have only been working at Outreach for a month, but almost a dozen stories are flowing to my mind like this. It's overwhelming and wonderful and precious. I'm aware that I'm in a sweet time in ministry here. Something special is happening for me to see Him working so clearly. I write these blog posts as a Gilgal. I want to remember the things God has brought me through, and always remember that He will continue to be this faithful, interactive God.

It's a fantastic place to be, a fantastic story to be living, and a FANTASTIC God to be serving.