I look at the clock on the computer and see that there is but one hour before it is officially Thanksgiving Day, however, I will give thanks now!
I have been back in the Denver area now for 2 months and so much has happened already. At first I just wanted to high tail it back to Nebraska. I was lonely, unsure and sad for what I had left behind. But as I look back, I see that at every turn, God continued to open up the doors that needed to be cracked, shedding illumination and waiting for my eyes to perceive it.
Three weeks ago, I was offered the Job as a Residential Counselor at the Hope House of Colorado, which is a non-denominational, Christian ministry to teen moms and their children. I took one week to pray and ponder and then I joyfully accepted. The events transpired like this:
Back in May, I was looking for a roommate in the Denver area on Craigslist and after sore luck, I finally typed in "Christian Roommate". This led me to meeting my now friend, Alyson. When we talked in May, we connected immediately and kept in touch even though I had several months before the move. She mentioned that she worked for a teen mother's home, but other than that, I didn't bother to ask any more, for there was nothing to connect it to.
When I moved to Denver, I prayed and decided to try attending the church that my brother had been going to this past year. I was very unsure at first, but each week I was there, there was a definite confirmation and peace to continue attending. Also, the first week I was there, I received a bulletin insert for all the ministries they support. One of those was "Hope House". At that point, I didn't know what it was, but found out later that it was a Teen Mother's Home and the Young Adult group I had been visiting often voluteered there. I still didn't make any connections.
Then, a month ago, I called Alyson and asked what she was doing. She told me that she was typing a press release for Hope House. I said, "Oh, really? The church I've been going to helps them out quit a bit..." She said, "well, that's where I used to work". That launched in to us talking about the ministry, etc. At one point, Alyson said, "I don't think they're hiring", to which I replied that it wasn't why I was asking about it, I was just curious about the ministry itself.
A fairly small detail in this saga was that this conversation took place while I was shopping for makeup at Target. What happened next was what continues to blow me away.
Alyson and I wrapped up our conversation and as soon as I hung up, it was a very intense, God-is-speaking-to-you-so-listen-up-moment (In Target). I heard this: "Krista, Call the Hope House Now". Pretty much an inaudible, yet somehow very audible voice, impression, whatever you want to call it, I knew it was God. I didn't hear a "Why", I just heard what I needed to do. I went home and called and left a message with my name and number, telling them that I just wanted more info of what their needs might be. Fast forward two days: I got a call from the Director telling me that she thinks that my call was a God thing, because they were needing to fill a staff position immediately and that they would be interested in an interview. The next day I interviewed and they offered me the job on the spot.
It all happened so fast, I was in awe and needed time to really discern this total change of events and MY PLANS ("my ways are not your ways...yea, tell me about it!!!).
But a month later, I'm saying that it's just amazing. I get to work with wonderful Christian people, I get to talk with girls who are just trying to make it a better life for themselves and their kids and help them stay on track. Yes, there's drama, frustration and conflicts, but I'm always amazed at these girls and their kids. I work an evening shift, which has now opened up my days for me to work on all things music, not to mentions that the Hope House is only 1 mile away from my house (and we're talking Denver!!!). I get all day Friday through the following Monday evening off, which opens up my weekends wide for travelling and music. They are also very flexible when it comes to the music ministry. I explained right off the bat how I felt that God was calling me in music and I had to keep that priority. They were so encouraging!
You know, I think back to my prayers about leaving Alliance, coming to Denver and it just was like, "God, I don't care what it is that you want me to do, as long as I know it's You". And now I see these massive, loving fingerprints all over my life and I am being held in awe of that very fact.
No, not everything is comfortable here, but I am consoled by the one who is showing me a plan that continues to be bigger than mine and greater than my imagination.
I am thankful, and this is just the start to a very long list!
Happy Thanksgiving!
God be Praised!
AMDG
