get in there

 A few months ago a woman I barely knew wrote me a letter out of the blue. Their family had done foster care for seven years, and she wanted to help us somehow. After thinking it through from their experience, the great gap was in one-on-one time with their biological kids and their bonus kids. So she offered to come for three hours at a time, watch the other six kids while I took out one kid at a time.  

These "date nights" (on the night each week that Matt teaches) have been far more a gift than I ever expected. 

They each have had so so much to say. The moment they realize that they have my full and uninterrupted attention for three hours, they pour and pour and pour...Thoughts, fear, sins, hopes, hurts, secrets, questions, dreams. 

One wanted Greek and shopping, another Japanese and nails. One wanted Vietnamese Pho and to go to the Boot Barn, one Olive Garden and a hike.  Ben'll be last, as always, but he's told everyone and their mother that we're gonna to Cracker Barrel and he's looking at toys.

Tonight was with my quietest girl...I wondered what we'd talk about for three hours and had a list of questions just in case. She ordered her spaghetti, took a deep breath, and out of nowhere went back three years and talked and talked and talked. She told me every detail of the past three years...every house, every fear, every loss, every nightmare, every person, every high, every low.

My girl I've worked so hard to get to trust me finally saw her chance and gave me her life-story and thoughts and prayers, wisdom beyond her years in her matter-of-fact reflections, experiences no one should EVER, ever have had to experience (much less a little girl)...so much confusion and helplessness and pain and perseverance. 

I am grateful for the priceless gift of time this dear woman is giving me with each of these kiddos. I'm so grateful for the gift OF these seven children that He has given me...such a sacred privilege and responsibility to shepherd, protect and love a child's heart.

I am grateful for the tedious, monotonous ways He gives me every day to disciple them...hours in the car, moments braiding hair, conversations folding laundry, stories and prayers every night. 

I am grateful for the stories He gives us each to share, for the way He is laced all throughout them, for the way He overlaps us with one another, for the way He is not finished in their stories or in mine.

If you know of something broke and awful and dark, church.  Get. in. there. 

And if you can't right now, heavens. Get behind someone who is and make all the difference.