Answering the Call

“…Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down….The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’”
I Samuel 3:3-10”

On the first day of school, I heard God’s call. I was registering lots of new students, and the attendance clerk called to let me know that there was a parent who wanted to speak to me. All I could think was, “What could possibly have gone wrong already that this mom needs to talk to the counselor?” In between new students, I went to the front office and met her. She was well put together and looked about like the other parents I’d been visiting with all morning. Nothing really outstanding about her.

All of that changed in my office as she told me her story. She has been in an abusive marriage for years. She divorced last school year. The economic downturn combined with a divorce lead to the repossession of their home. She and her 10 year old daughter are homeless. She is broken and afraid. She finally teared up as she said, “I never dreamed that at this point in my life I would be homeless. I am so ashamed.”

She and her daughter have a fantastic church family who has been supporting and helping them. I was so relieved to hear this part because I know how important church family is. Mom has everything, including financial aid, lined up to start classes at a local college in just a couple of weeks. She brought letters from the school and church friends to vouch for her. She brought her daughter’s outstanding report card, test scores, and metals.

Then it hit me. She was trying to convince me to allow her daughter to attend our school. Sometimes I’m slow...but I get there. I immediately reassured her that her daughter was already scheduled in a class because she had been in our schools last year. There are rules that protect people who are considered homeless. She was so relieved. Then we got down to the business of figuring out supplies and getting her registered.

I can’t tell you how impressive this little momma is. She has a plan. She is desperate and afraid but she has chosen a path of survival. She worries about her little girl being successful in school. She worries about her baby being ashamed of her momma. But what I saw was a woman who was showing her little girl what it means to fight, to survive, to do whatever it takes to move forward when everything in life seems to be holding her back.

We were on our way back to the front office when I heard the call. It wasn’t like Samuel. There wasn’t a voice calling my name, nothing so dramatic as that, but it was there. A prompting. Not even very insistent, but it was there. And I stopped walking. The mom nearly bumped into me. I turned and asked her if we could go back to my office for one more thing. She said sure; so we went back.

I shut the door behind us and turned and asked her if I could pray for her before she left. She completely broke down crying and nodded yes. I reached out to take her hands and she stepped right in and wrapped her arms around my waste in a desperate hug. I prayed for her. I prayed for her daughter. I have no idea where some of the words came from...well, yes I do. The Spirit gave me just the right words to pray for her and minister to her. When we finished I told her that I thought God had sent her to me today and she agreed.

That experience was one of the most powerful ministering opportunities I’ve had with a parent. It was amazing. The telling of it here is just pretty straightforward and factual, but if you asked me about it in person, I think you would understand more fully just how powerful it was.

I have every intention of following up with this mom and daughter. This little girl will be more than just a name on somebody’s roll. But the thing about this whole experience that keeps nagging at me the most is hearing the call.

I know God calls me all the time. Like Samuel, sometimes I don’t recognize it as God’s voice. Other times, I hear, but I don’t stop to listen and obey. I’m not going to sit around beating myself up about it, but I think it is worth pondering. It’s worth mulling over and chewing on because I would hate to have missed this opportunity. It was too precious.

At the end of I Samuel chapter 3, it says, “The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.” I want the Lord to be with me as I grow up. And I pray that I won’t let his words fall to the ground either.