I'm a mom...kinda.

The past two weeks have been life-changing. I became a guardian to a 15 year old girl. If you read my xanga posts, you would know this girl as the girl that cussed me out everyday last year. It's kinda a long story-but she wanted to get out of her home so badly that she was willing to check herself into Juvi. She came in to school to withdraw, and I couldn't allow that to happen. Juvi would blow out that light inside of her.

So, on Sunday, January 13, Jessie moved in with me. It's been a hard transition. I've gone from living, dating, eating by myself on my schedule, to being responsible for her 24/7. She's gone through a tough transition of having no rules, to having my rules. She's still a 15 year old girl, wants freedom, is homesick, and thrown into living with her old teacher. It's been crazy. I prayed for this girl forever, and I just didn't know that God wanted me a part of the solution. So far it's been good--she's been happier, clean, and her self-esteem has come up.

When I prayed about doing this, I was reminded by these few verses and quotes:

Hebrews 13:2

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.


*****

Let's be honest, it's easy to go to a church service, it's easy to read a bible. It's easy to discuss who believes what and who is right, and who is wrong. It's easy. But when Jesus talks about his followers, he talks about people who are generous, people who clothe the naked, take food to the hungry, take water to the thirsty, people who visit prisoners, who invite strangers into their home. People who give their time, their money, their energy.

*****
Here and now, the only part of eternity that we get to touch is each other. As sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, we tend to live as isolated beings, locked into the invisible walls of our mind. We need to reach beyond our fears because we need each other; right beside us is another soul who longs for a home, another soul who can help us discern the signs along life's road, as they give us input and as we reach out to them.

If I call myself a Christian, I have to be willing to love like Christ loves. Lord, I can't do this alone.