Life changes can throw us off balance and cause us to doubt ourselves, our life, and our faith.
Two years ago my husband and I lost everything, our home, job and most of our possessions. I also had major surgery with an extended recovery. Settling into our new home, I noticed a neighbor standing with her door open and looking distressed.
“Ven adentro,” she said, inviting me inside. Through sign language and mixed conversation, I heard her grief story of moving from New York. We shared similar fears and a sense of loneliness. Carmen and I became friends; she inspired me to learn Spanish while she worked on her English.
When I told this story to my husband, he said God plants us where our ministry is, and it’s up to us to recognize it. My own problems had kept me from reaching out and receiving not only friendship, but also discovering that God had been acting on my behalf all along. Puedo siempre confiar en el Señor.
This message is excerpted from “Hola Carmen, ¿como estas” by Patti Austin from the June 16, 2014, blog of the Women of the ELCA. Today is the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) in the United States.
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