Lydia House, April 20

I ran across this quote by C.S. Lewis the other day that said "So many people are only concerned with the existance of God as if God could do nothing but exist." A God that merely exsists seems absurd and not much of a God at all. This thought along with a verse in John, "For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does" (5:20), has motivated me to be more concerned with what God is doing around me.

This past week I was asked to step out of the kitchen (which has quickly become a comfort zone for me at Lydia house) and out into the house's living room area to lead the women's bible study. I had never lead a bible study for anyone older than me so I was a little anxious at first. As I began preparing for the women my nerves seemed to lessen as I was reassured by God about the power of His word to not return void, and with a message I had recently become personally passionate about.

The bible study concerned John 4 and the woman at the well. On Tuesday, with all my notes perpared and continuing in prayer for the women I began to think about the complex, hard, beautiful, and not-so-beautiful aspects of these women's lives. These thoughts continued throughout the day. At the beginning of the bible study, my nerves mounting a bit, I looked out at the women's faces and felt that I was beginning to understand a bit more of the immensity of God's love for these women, women with much in common with the woman at the well. These women much like the one that Jesus had revealed Himself to first. I also felt that the story of Jesus coming to the woman at the well had never been more real and clear to me.

The bible study went well. The women were attentive and more or less engaged. After the study and over dinner I was able to talk to some of the women and was struck by the childlike faith that some of them had. I was reassured that many of the women there had been met by Jesus just like the woman at the well had been and had received the grace, love, and reassurance that He offers.

How amazing that Jesus has been, and still is, meeting these women just like He met with and renewed the woman at the well 2000 years ago. How great it is that we can serve at Lydia House and see what God has been doing.

:)