The Inconvenient Nudge
It had been a long day, so Lacey and I grabbed our Bibles, journals, and an ipod and headed to the roof. There is a "secret staircase" that leads to the roof of the mission, and from there you can see the whole city with all its colors and lights. It is a wonderful place to watch the sunset, see the stars, and spend some time with the Lord. On this particular day, Lacey and I were seeking a time of rest and quiet, but as soon as we got comfortable, a sudden thought popped into my head.
"What time is it?!" I said almost frantically.
"Almost 4:00," Lacey responded. "Why?"
"Well, I kind of wanted to go to casa materna today, but I forgot about it until now." I almost pushed the idea out of my head, convincing myself that I needed some time to rest on the roof. After all, we had just sat down. Yet something within my heart was restless until I finally made the decision to stand up.
"I am going to casa materna to see if Alyeri has had her baby. I don't want to miss it."
Alyeri, my fourteen-year-old friend at casa materna, has been living there all summer. I met her the first time I visited the maternity house, and we have become friends over the course of the summer. I knew that her baby was due sometime soon, but I did not know exactly when. Usually, the women leave casa materna and return home only a day or two after having their babies. I had not been to casa materna all week, and I couldn't bear to think that Alyeri would have her baby and leave without my saying goodbye.
So even after a long day of work, Lacey and I trekked down the muddy road toward casa materna. We walked inside, looking for Alyeri, but she was nowhere to be found. My heart beat fast with fear that she was already gone. Right before we were about to leave, I peeked into the room where the newborn babies and their mothers sleep. Although the room was dimly lit, I could see a woman with her back turned toward me. Stepping closer toward her, I whispered, "Alyeri?" She turned her head and smiled at me with a bright smile. "Alyeri!" I called her name again, this time with the excitement of recognition.
I congratulated Alyeri and gave her a big hug. I even held her beautiful, tiny, adorable four-day-old son and sang to him. As I rocked him, I thanked God for allowing me to meet Alyeri, to befriend her through her pregnancy, and then to hold her baby boy in my own arms. Most of all, I thanked Him for tugging at my heart and reminding me to visit casa materna. Had it not been for His Spirit's gentle nudge, I might have missed this precious moment.
Just like God whispered to me on the roof and reminded me to go to casa materna, sometimes I believe that God calls us get up and go when it is inconvenient. He might ask us to stand up when we are tired or to leave our comfort even after we have settled down. But wherever His Spirit leads, it is worth the move. We don't want to miss what He wants us to experience!
"What time is it?!" I said almost frantically.
"Almost 4:00," Lacey responded. "Why?"
"Well, I kind of wanted to go to casa materna today, but I forgot about it until now." I almost pushed the idea out of my head, convincing myself that I needed some time to rest on the roof. After all, we had just sat down. Yet something within my heart was restless until I finally made the decision to stand up.
"I am going to casa materna to see if Alyeri has had her baby. I don't want to miss it."
Alyeri, my fourteen-year-old friend at casa materna, has been living there all summer. I met her the first time I visited the maternity house, and we have become friends over the course of the summer. I knew that her baby was due sometime soon, but I did not know exactly when. Usually, the women leave casa materna and return home only a day or two after having their babies. I had not been to casa materna all week, and I couldn't bear to think that Alyeri would have her baby and leave without my saying goodbye.
So even after a long day of work, Lacey and I trekked down the muddy road toward casa materna. We walked inside, looking for Alyeri, but she was nowhere to be found. My heart beat fast with fear that she was already gone. Right before we were about to leave, I peeked into the room where the newborn babies and their mothers sleep. Although the room was dimly lit, I could see a woman with her back turned toward me. Stepping closer toward her, I whispered, "Alyeri?" She turned her head and smiled at me with a bright smile. "Alyeri!" I called her name again, this time with the excitement of recognition.
I congratulated Alyeri and gave her a big hug. I even held her beautiful, tiny, adorable four-day-old son and sang to him. As I rocked him, I thanked God for allowing me to meet Alyeri, to befriend her through her pregnancy, and then to hold her baby boy in my own arms. Most of all, I thanked Him for tugging at my heart and reminding me to visit casa materna. Had it not been for His Spirit's gentle nudge, I might have missed this precious moment.
Just like God whispered to me on the roof and reminded me to go to casa materna, sometimes I believe that God calls us get up and go when it is inconvenient. He might ask us to stand up when we are tired or to leave our comfort even after we have settled down. But wherever His Spirit leads, it is worth the move. We don't want to miss what He wants us to experience!
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