Living out here in Memphis is a struggle. Every day something happens to try to turn my focus off of God and onto myself and the world. Sadly it sometimes works. :( Lately I've been more connected with my friends and talking to them has helped immensely! They encourage me and just to know that someone is thinking about you and cares means the world!!! One thing that has happened lately out here is that we are trying to become one house, not literally but spiritually. We eat together 2x a week, have devotions together, see each other a lot. That's wonderful but we have recently realized that in order to be together everyone has to be clear with each other. Everyone is working on that and we also are getting together, men and ladies, and praying. We usually get together separately twice a week in the mornings to pray but we were told to pray together. So far we have done that once. Some of the things we prayed for was that God would show us why He has us in Memphis and what He wants us to be doing. That's all well and good but if we aren't willing to do what God wants us to do than that prayer means nothing. So we prayed and this happened...
There is this 11yr old girl who lives in our neighborhood and she has been coming over here a lot lately. I gave her my number a while ago so she could call me about something that day and she has pretty much called me every day since then. She asks to come over a lot and usually I'm not home but when I am I reluctantly say yes. She has never ending questions. :) I dread my phone ringing some days and have actually thought about giving her a different ring tone so I would know when it was her. :( Whenever she's here she follows me around like a puppy dog...
Ok, so there are two different ways to look at this situation, one is everything I just said about her being annoying and the other is to think that God put her on our doorstep (literally) and this is His will for me. The second is the harder of the two to look at but with the help of the people around me, I have changed my view on her. She lives with her mom, two older sisters, one younger brother and a step dad who isn't nice to any of them. Every time she comes over she has a new story to tell either about her family or this neighborhood. She is such a lonely girl and neither one of her big sisters care about her. She is needy for a big sister and God has placed that huge responsibility in my lap. She comes over here and ooohs and aaaahs over my jewelry, clothes, stuff, etc. Yesterday and today when she came over she brought me a shawl and some lotion. Today she brought a 9yr old girl with her and they both ended up playing with my hair. I have been praying lately not that God would tell me what to do in this neighborhood, but that He would give me grace and patience for the girls when they come over. I had a super amount today b/cause I ended up letting them put my hair in pig tails and then straightening and curling it! I was scared stiff to let a 9yr old girl put a hot curling iron anywhere near my head! But thankfully none of my hair was fried and my forehead and ears are still intact. :) We ended up having them over for dinner and making it a fun experience with music and random seating at the table.
All of this has just taught me that I need to mean what I say when I pray. God isn't afraid to take you seriously. :) I'm really glad God has put me through this. I have grown a lot. Please if you get time, pray for us out here, that we would be willing and able to do anything and everything that God asks of us and that we would become more together!
