It Really Does Take a Village

It really does take a village…God's Village. I can honestly say I don't know how we would have made it through the last few weeks if not for the friends that God has provided.

Three weeks ago, my 6 year old niece and my 4 year old nephew came to live with us. It's been pretty tough, I won't deny it, but God is definitely moving. We have received much prayer, encouragement, clothes for the children, and time.  I have one particular friend who has spent her day off, for the past three weeks at my home, taking care of the children so that I could make the various appointments that are needed. She has done my laundry, swept my floors, wiped runny noses and played many games all in the name of good old-fashioned, Christian friendship.

I have others who have held my hand, prayed with me and have been there with me to hand me tissue while I poor my heart out, all while crying alongside me. We've received many phone calls offering to run errands, go grocery shopping for us, etc. I am truly humbled by the amount of love God has poured into us through the friends that He has provided.

Even in the little things, He knows. A few blogs back, I posted about my excitement for our annual Easter Party. Those plans have been put on the back burner in light of the changes in our home. My bathroom hasn't been repainted, my house isn't "spic and span*, and fresh flowers haven't been planted. And then I found out yesterday that the honey baked ham wasn't going to make it's yearly Easter arrival. I have to tell you that I really look forward to that ham! I had to remind myself that I could live without it, the ham isn''t really that important in the larger scheme of things and I shouldn't worry about what other meat I can feed the 60+ people that will be dining with us on Sunday. What is important is that we will be spending the day with the wonderful friends that love us and just want to celebrate this special day in our home with us.

This morning, I received a phone call from one of those friends.  She said that she and her husband had really prayed about what to bring this year, and wanted to know if it was ok if they brought a couple of hams this year. A reminder of how God is amazing even in the little things and how He continues to prove it through the friends that He has provided.

I was talking to someone earlier this week about church. We talked about Pastors who had come and gone, as well as others. But the one constant has been the body; the friends who have continued to be a part of what makes up our church. I think God has done a pretty good thing in our church body.

And so, when I think about that old saying about it taking a village and how I disagreed with it, today I say, it does take a village, only it's God's Village.