As a parent, teacher, or other caring adult in the life of a child, it is inevitable that you come to the questions “Am I doing this well? Am I doing enough? Are my kids understanding it?” These questions and concerns carry a great deal of weight because we care so deeply and we desire so much good for these young lives.
At Holston Home for Children, we have a lot of loving parental figures, teachers and counselors that wrestle with these questions and that seek the very best for the children that we are blessed to care for. Recently, I found myself drinking coffee on a Saturday morning thinking about these things and praying that God would heal our kids’ hurts and wounds and that He would bring growth from the seeds that are being planted in their lives.
If I’m honest, I’m sad to say that it was not the kind of prayer filled with faith in the Lord’s unfailing faithfulness. Instead it was one of those desperate prayers of “You got to do something, Lord, because this is impossible with all of the A, B, and C’s that our kids are going through and all of the X, Y and Z challenges that we face.” Maybe you have been there, where your eyes moved from who He is and all that He has done to focus on the mountains and fears that are in front of you. That was exactly where I was that morning.
Then my phone let me know that I had a text message. That’s always good news — right?! I am sure you are always overflowing with unbridled optimism when your phone goes off as you are drinking your coffee. As was I, when I began reading a message from our campus supervisor about a homeless man coming to one of our boys’ residences that morning. As my mind both read the message and imagined a million undesirable scenarios simultaneously, I prepared myself for what the next sentences would hold.
The text described that when our supervisor, Brian, answered the man’s knock, the gentleman said he was homeless and hungry. He said he would not cause any trouble but only wanted to ask if we had any extra food he could have. As a home for teenage boys, if we don’t have a stocked kitchen and a fridge full of leftovers, we are dead in the water so this man had come to the right place — practically speaking! The supervisor asked him to wait outside and went to get him some food. Some of our boys asked Mr. Brian who had come to the house. Brian said that it was a man having a hard time and that we were going to give him some food to eat as he passed through. One of the boys, Austin, asked Brian if they could offer to pray for the man. Another boy, Noah, asked if they could give him a Bible. Our young men were so kind and respectful. They gathered around the man and prayed for him, after he said he was comfortable with them praying. He was a complete gentleman and thanked them for the food, the prayer and the Bible. He later shared with Brian that he was struggling with drug addiction and allowed Brian to take him to a local men’s alcohol and drug treatment program. The message ended with this picture.
I sat there and wept as I was reminded of how the Lord is answering our prayers and transforming the hearts and lives of our youth. While I had allowed my mind to entertain thoughts of discouragement and worry, my Father gently corrected me by weaving together this beautiful tapestry of His love for the man, this opportunity to look like Jesus for our boys, wisdom and direction for our staff, and encouragement for all of us that want to see the children at Holston Home heal and have the lives that God intended for them.
Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” In my 24 years at Holston Home we have not had a homeless person come to one of our residences to my knowledge. I think it would be cool if he was an angel that day.
But regardless, what is awesome is that our boys clearly demonstrated God’s heart and that they believe that the good news of the Gospel and His love can change lives because it has changed theirs.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers and financial support. You are a part of what the Lord is doing to train up a child in the way he should go so that when he is old he will not depart from it. I pray that God blesses you and your family and that you will experience Him in all areas of your life.
In Christ,
