light meets the dark

Sometimes I feel like my heart is just going to leap out of my chest. Like it's pounding so hard that it might just rip me apart and leave my body lifeless. There are things I've learned about some of the teenage girls, here at the school I work for, that would make you vomit.... or at least cry. The dark place that these girls have lived in is simply, demonic. Utter godlessness. They didn't choose the family they grew up in. They didn't DO anything to deserve their past.

But it happened.

It happened to them. It's their story.

And it's how God got a hold of them.

Sometimes the story of salvation has to begin with pain. For some it doesn't happen as a young grade school child in Sunday school who all of a sudden has fresh eyes to John 3:16 and understands God's gift of grace in Jesus. Sometimes it has to start with tears, with "why me?"s, with darkness.

But then, one day, it's as if a sliver of the blinds lets a small stream of light in and gives a glimpse of hope. And then all of a sudden, the blinds are pulled back and the Light consumes the darkness; laying bare all it's lies and chains and scars. And the funny thing is....we still choose the darkness. The Light is illuminating, warm, comforting and yet we choose the cold, damp, sticky, sin-infested darkness. Because it's comfortable. Because it's the only choice we CAN make apart from the indwelling Holy Spirit.

It's funny how the darkness actually makes the Light more beautiful. The contrast accentuates it's brilliance. Nature does this on it's own but us humans...we like our darkness. Praise be to God that he plucked these girls out of the darkness and gave them Light.

Gave them Himself.

Their circumstances haven't drastically changed but their hearts have. They have joy, real God-given joy to face whatever God brings their way. They are even learning to "count it all joy"- past and present trials. I have loved seeing these girls grow in their love for our Savior. I love that I get to remind them that He is not only in the rainbows but in the storm.

He's right there.

Holding them. Carrying them through it.

These girls are helping me see God's faithfulness. Their stories are heart-breaking but the redemption is sweet.

Thank you God for your steadfast love and mercy.

Help us to not only thank you for the patience in the storm but to thank you FOR the storm itself. For by it we are transformed from one degree of Godliness to another.