Inconvenient Grace

Today started out just about like any other day....snuggles in bed... that led to toddler fights...that led to the need for some Starbucks rocket fuel (thank you, friends, who sent us VIA packs)...Teeth-brushing, vitamins, cod liver oil, room time...Laughter, screams, spankings, music, ants, gheckos, potty-training, chicken-cooking...door knocks, visitors, laundry, preschool on the kitchen floor...you get the picture. 

Then, the game changer happened. 

The daughter of a friend stopped by (while the friend happened to be at our house), and asked to speak with me outside. With 2 kids attached to my legs and juice running down my arms as I was in the middle of setting the table, I put on my most accommodating face and headed out the door, really hoping that this visit would finish before our new teammate arrived to eat lunch with us. The girl had a request for me, which was an odd one- to deliver a message to her parents that she was leaving for a few days but would return Friday evening. A bit confused, a bit concerned, I tried to probe further into what the affairs of this venture would be. But, since she was not interested in sharing the details with me, and since I needed to get back to lunch preparations, I conceded and said I would deliver the message before her father left our house. Thankful, however, for the "check" the Holy Spirit placed on my heart, I called one of our other teammates who has served in Bundibugyo for over 17 years and knows this family well, and told her of the awkward position I had just been put in. Extremely alarmed, she said, "Did you ask her if she was going to get an abortion?" "Um, no" I replied, feeling like a complete idiot that something like that was not even on my radar...

The next 20 minutes are a bit of a blur, but I did some of the most fierce praying and phone-calling that I have ever done in my life. By circumstances completely out of my control, God had someone on the road convey to the girl the message that she needed to return to me immediately. When she did (which of course was right after our lunch guest arrived), I met her under the tree, sat her down and asked her straight-up if she was leaving town to get an abortion. When she nodded her head, with tears in her eyes, my heart both lept and sunk at the same time (is that even possible?). "Seriously, God?" I thought. "Seriously? Me? Now?" I barely know this girl, not to mention that I don't have counseling experience, I've never worked at a pregnancy help center or anything like it, I don't know her story, and frankly I had nothing to offer her that would change her mind.

And then He reminded me of something.

It was only 24 days ago that I sat on this same bench, under this same tree, weeping over the loss of the child He chose to take from me. And now here I was, sitting in the presence of a child whom He chose to give life to, but whose mother did not plan for it nor want it. Oh, the irony sovereignty. Getting down on my knees and looking at this 5-months pregnant girl with tears streaming down my face again, I told her that God had a plan for that child He placed in her womb. That HE was the one that created it, that gave it life, and that He chose her to be its mother. Yes, she had more poor choices, and yes this was going to change things for her future. But those details do not change her position before God, nor the fact that Jesus LOVED her, and had a plan of redemption for her, had every day of life already planned out for the one He was creating inside of her, and that that child was a gift. I called my friend, who was close to this family, and she shared her experience of a previous abortion with this girl.

And through tears and trembling and immense courage, 

Jesus changed her heart. 

We made alternate plans for her to stay with another teammate of ours for the evening, I returned to the house, finished hosting lunch, sat down with my husband and with her father, and got to experience one of the most God-honoring Gospel conversations that we have had since coming to Uganda.  

Jesus was in our midst, and I was so immensely grateful.

Grace is messy, people. 

I don't know why they use the same word to describe ballerinas floating across a stage. There is nothing musical, whimsical, or attractive about it. It's inconvenient, out of our control, raw, painful, and stripping at times. But, man, how I am thankful that God uses it to draw us to Him in spite of ourselves and our sin. Today was just one example. He interjected Himself into my messy, crazy day and allowed me to be a small part in one of the most redemptive experiences I have ever had in my life.

And for that I am grateful.

truly grateful