He’s calling you by name, turn around and you’ll see who He is…..He loves you……He says that You have a purpose, hope and future……Faith, Accepted by Christ, Expressed In Truth…..FACE IT….
These are the statements, words and verses that have shaped our Teen Haven girls program: F.A.C.E. I.T.
He calls us by our names. He doesn’t call us in anger, He calls us with such a lovely voice. It’s full of grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness and love. It’s tender yet strong. It’s soft yet unmistakable clear. He even has our names tattooed on the palm of His hand. (well, maybe not an actual tattoo, but I like to think of it as one J)
I’ve called out a lot of names, but to be honest, I don’t call the way Christ does. When I call out someone’s name, many times it’s in frustration or in anger. One name really comes to mind. “LALY!”
5 months ago Maraly aka Laly walked into Teen Haven because she heard we were having a pizza party. After about a month, I said this to God: “Look, if she don’t come back it’s ok with me. I’ll pray for her and let someone else deal with her cause I’m about to get real “Madea” on this little girl!”
So needless to say, she was a heck of a challenge. And guess what God did next…He answered my prayer! and Laly came back to Teen Haven the following week! Talk about a sense of humor. Good thing God doesn’t always give us what we ask for; He does give us what we need. See, God began to show me how much like her I used to be and still was. I was literally looking at a flash back of myself at her age. Good kid on the inside, but everything she did and said on the outside was a desperate cry for attention. Most importantly He showed me how He didn’t give up on me and that He’s not giving up on her and that if I’m truly in this for Him and not for myself, I have no rights to give up on her either. So a little thing called conviction overwhelmed me! So, after a rough night, I dropped her off at home and told her exactly what God told me. “Laly, Jesus ain’t giving up on you, so neither will I.”
Since then, she’s given her life to Jesus, comes faithfully to Heir Born (girl’s bible study), has become one of our most faithful teens, won the TRANSFORMATION award and we’re looking forward to her coming on board as a student leader! Transform her life is what He has done and is still doing! How amazing that we get to work with Him as He does these kinds of miracles!
God is amazing. He loves the multitude, but the multitude come when they see Him working in the one. It’s amazing to see how He does this and how He continues to do it. He is responsible for the changing of a life. I just show up. He has even shown me His faithfulness through her.
Though I still may get frustrated, now when I call her name I am in nothing less than complete awe and amazement at what a mighty God I have. All praise and all glory to the real TRANSFORMER!!!!
Nina Maldonado • Lancaster Girls Program Coordinator
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