Sharing at the Children's Home! Things I wish someone would have told me

I was asked to speak again to the teen girls over at the Children's home. When I came to Christ years ago, I asked the Lord to use the suffering in my life for good and to help others. I didn't want my pain to have been without purpose. Even though it's only about 10-20 girls at a time, it is the Lord answering the deepest desires of my heart. I am always SO blessed and excited when I get to share what the Lord has done for me. I It sounds silly but to me it feels as though I am walking on holy ground! I know that what He has done in my life He can do for others. It is my prayer that seeds are planted, hope is restored and that lives can be redeemed and souls are brought into the kingdom in the lives of the foster youth here in the US.

I shared a bit about my upbringing. I told them how I used to be in foster care. My father was in and out of prison and on drugs. I lived with my grandparents and how my grandfather was violent and my grandmother and I fled to a domestic violence shelter. I spoke of the abuse from my father, neglect from my mother.. I mentioned things like the shoot out at a gas station when I was about 4, followed by a high speed chase on the freeway by the police and my mother being arrested on Christmas day, and how the police gave me a doll because they realized I didn't receive anything that morning.

I spoke about my stay at CASA and CSP youth shelters, and how it changed my life even though my mom was on drugs. I spoke about finding needles in our home and being kicked out when I was 17. I shared all the things I've learned along the way and what I wish people would have told me. Included in Part 2 next post) I gave them the print out of what God taught me along the way and we took turns reading it together as a group. Most of it was straight scripture!!! Some of the teens were blessed and some it was hard to tell. Unlike the other other time I spoke and the response was huge. I included The Fathers love letter. I ALWAYS bring along either this letter or the kids comic book letter. It's words have transformed my life!

One of the girls was so excited that we both lived in the same shelter. I was surprised to hear that some of the workers and counselors there would try to crush the hopes of the girls wanting to have faith in Christ with snide remarks and sarcastic comments. Some of the very people that should be helping them are some of the biggest faith killers and dream destroyers. One made a comment that "they only visit so they can get credit." Ok well, I'm not in school and I am a homeschooling SAHM of 5. I don't think any of the ladies were there to get credit! I can't figure out fir the life of me, why ANYONE like that would get a job working with children! Especially broken hurting children! It reminds me of Matthew 18:6 "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Anyway, I think our group did good. All we can do is offer our meager efforts to the Lord like the boy with the loves and two fishes and leave the cultivating and multiplying of the fruit up to Him. I am confident that if we show up, He'll do the rest. Watch this and let it settle into your spirit. Let it transform your mind and spirit in Christ. Be blessed as you set your mind on things above and know who your daddy is and who you belong to! Love, Alida w5