We Can Make a Difference

This morning I am waking up with the face of a young man in my mind, on my heart. DP is finishing up his junior year of high school and about to enter into his final year. He is a gifted and charismatic person, full of musical talent that spills over on the football field as he plays in the marching band, on the stage as he takes the lead in musicals, on the worship team on Sunday mornings, and in solo roles at district choir. He makes friends easily and gets many opportunities to be involved with churches, youth groups and his school. DP has been special to our family for many years. My dad has known him since he was a little boy, as he attended church with him. Dad asked the church to buy DP a guitar when he was about twelve years old and DP began playing on the worship team with Dad. It has been amazing to watch him grow in his natural, God given talents. It has been our family's joy to have DP in our home and to hang out with him, laughing at silly things and just "being." Saturday evening I found myself sending DP a text to make sure he was getting ready for his beautiful prom date. I texted "treat her like the lady she is." I signed the text "Your otha motha." DP does not need another mother, for his mom is one of the most amazing women I've ever met. She is a single mom and has done a knock out job raising her boy. She works two or three jobs, year round, to support him and give him the best things in life. She is patient and kind and sacrifices many of her own wants to make sure he has the best. They say behind every successful man, there is a woman...and in DP and D's house, that is most certainly the case! I feel a connection to DP and I want him to know he has our family for support in this crazy thing called life. As I look at the next year, I want to be at as many of DP's big events as possible. District choir performances, a football game or two, spring musical and...(sniff sniff) graduation. I plan to shoot his mother an email to get some of those dates on my calendar as soon as possible.

AM is our Fresh Air Fund "son." We hosted him for the first time in 2006 and he has returned to us every summer since. He catches a bus in New York City and travels with other children to our town to spend ten days enjoying country living. It's amazing to me how easily AM fits into our family. I always wanted at least one more child, so when we have a "fourth son" around, it feels right to me. He jumps into whatever activitiy we are doing and doesn't expect us to cater to him or do anything out of the ordinary. We've had fun with AM here, but usually that fun involves something simple like a hike up the mountain, a tent pitched in the backyard, a ride on Grandad's horses. Last summer, we took a trip to NYC to take him home. He took us into the city and did some sightseeing with us, on his own turn. Investing in the lives of young people does not have to be an expensive endevor. Time is what they need, time is what they want, and we all have equal amounts of that to give. AM has also been raised by his mom. She has raised him to be polite, mannerly and helpful. My hat's off to her! While I love having AM around and feel very comfortable with him in our home, I notice his lean toward my husband. He thrives on spending time with D. He has spent entire days on job sites with D and he thinks it's the greatest thing. Every young boy needs godly men in his life to model the character of Christ. Since AM spends entire weeks in our home, he sees us as we really are. He hears our spats, he sees my own children disobey, he watches us walk through those conflicts and (hopefully) reach a resolve.

JR is our neighbor. When he and his mom moved into the house beside us, it was an answer to prayer. We had asked God to send us the neighbors that He knew would be the right fit. Of course, we wanted to be a blessing to whomever He sent. We were amazed by who he sent and we quickly realized that we were going to be blessed in the process. Again, JR's mom is a single mom. She is deeply and completly commited to her son. She works hard and provides him with so many opportunities to enjoy life. JR was only twelve when they moved here, so my boys were about eighth and six. He took to them immediately and would play in the yard with them or hang out with D while he worked on projects. He easily fits into our family and we would grab him to eat supper with us or shot hoops with the boys. JR is the one who gave the twins the nickname "the minis" and that name has stuck! He is an easy going, carefree young man. He plays sports year round, so we don't see him as much these days, but he will always have a special place in our hearts.

Three young men. Three lives that are being shaped, molded and determined by the world around them. Each day they face peers and role models and are left to decide what kind of young men they want to be. Each year brings them closer to manhood and the journey of finding their way through the twists and turns of life. My prayer for each one is that he would cling to Jesus all the days of his life. Their mothers have made sure they have the foundation of church, knowledge of the Bible and opportunity to accept Jesus into their hearts. I add my prayers to those of their mothers..."Jesus, keep these boys from evil. Watch over them, protect them. Give them the desire to know You and to walk with You and talk with You, all the days of their lives. No matter what, we will love them and be here for them. But, it would be so much better for them and their moms if they held on to You and walked through life with You as their guide."

When I look around me, I see thousands more like DP, AM and JR. I see thousands more like my own sons. I can feel overwhelmed by the needs. I can stay awake all night, interceeding for those who may be in harms way. Another dear friend has to visit her son in prison. My heart aches for her. I cannot imagine what her heart feels each time she leaves him there, not knowing how long he will be there, not knowing if he will emerge more bitter or better. It would be easy to throw our hands up and say, "There are just too many needs. I can never make a difference in the lives of all these people." Instead, I hope that each one of us will find our place in this world and will invest in the lives that He's placed before us. We all have neighbors, friends, family members, and co-workers who need to know that someone is thinking about them. Many people just need to know that if they disappeared from the earth, someone would notice. We don't need to over commit and make promises that we cannot keep, but simply say, "I am available, my door is open, you are welcome to call or text me anytime." The world is dying to know someone cares and you or I may be the only one who will ever show that love to them.

I am reminded of a story I heard many years ago. I've searched for it online but failed to find it, so I will paraphrase. An older gentleman was walking on the beach and saw thousands of starfish, washed up on the sand. They had been lying there and would die if they were not returned to the water. He picked one up and threw it in, then another, then another. Someone came along and scoffed at him, stating, "What a waste of time. There are so many starfish lying here, you'll never be able to get them all back into the water before they die." He looked up, as he threw another one in, and said, "But it mattered to that one." Another, "And it mattered to that one." He kept throwing them back, one at a time.

We must be like that gentleman. We must look around and see the needs, hear the cries and answer with a resounding, "Yes, Lord!" We must not turn a deaf ear to the cries of the hurting, lonely and wounded. We must not close our eyes to those who are lying along the roads of life, bleeding and dying. Oh, God, wake us up! Shake us! Show us who it is that You would have us to love. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours and give us Your passion to do something to bless another life. Today. And every day.