FB asks “What’s on your mind Kris?” It’s children. Children I don’t know but are carrying the biggest burden for. Children who are left to sleep on the chairs at CPS until a foster family can be found because there are an abundance of children who need help and not enough foster parents. The little boy I heard from two aisles away being yelled at by a grandparent, who was likely now raising him, that he was a pain & too much to deal with.  Then there’s the children going hungry at school, in America, in my own, small hometown. I keep praying “God use me! Show me how to help them.”  I can’t take them all in. I can love on them for a moment in time, and I know that survivors of abuse who make it often say that it was one person who believed in them. Who spoke life into them. But I can’t get to them all… then I heard Him whisper to my heart “Root Cause Analysis is what you do for a living. Apply it here..” Broken, abused, neglected children? Are a result of broken parents.  That’s the root cause. Reach out to change the lives of the parents? you can effectively change a child’s future.

I was walking out of Meijer yesterday to my car. I passed a car where the parents were blasting some old ZZ Top, windows down, smoking and a little girl in a car seat in the back caught my eye. We locked eyes and she smiled at me. I smiled back and my heart started getting so heavy for this innocent little one. “Go back Kris. Go back.” And do what?!? So I walked back by hoping to catch the parents as they got out of the car to strike up a casual conversation. No such luck. So there I stood,3 cars down, behind a van, pacing back and forth arguing with God in the parking lot. “OK, If it’s you who drew me back? Then you better give me the words to speak! I don’t even know what I’m doing right now.” So I walk back to the car, lean down and tap the mother, in the drivers seat, on the shoulder. I know right? And out comes “Hi! Sorry to bother you. I thought it was kinda cool to see young kids your age listening to good music like us old people grew up on.”  That drew a big smile from them both.  I went on to invite them to our “Biker Sunday” event explaining how there will be music like that – Former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer, David & The Giants, LBII and the Livestock band.  They smiled and said “Hmmm..sounds fun”.  I then said “I noticed your little girl in the back seat. She’s precious. I have a grandson about her age. You know? Sometimes as parents all we can do is pray for our children. But there’s power in prayer. I hope you guys will consider coming to visit our church, we’d love to have you.” They thanked me for the invite and as I walked away I prayed for God to stir the hearts of those young parents and for Him to put a hedge of protection around that little girl. (I can’t stop thinking about her as I see that little face in my mind).

I left thinking “God is this really how I help?” He answered me… I walked into the North Church last night and the first thing I saw? A man from the Genesis program praying with his young 2 or 3 year old daughter at the altar before service.  During service another father in the program took his children up front to dance and sing during praise and worship.  Men who used to be drug dealers and users now clean, sober, have their children in church and praising the Lord who has given them a second chance. YES! We can help the children by not giving up on, and reaching out to the parents. Lord hear Pastor Lawrence and Darlene’s prayers.  Bring our church the ones no one else wants.  Let us love them.  And for those of you who read this far? If you see a child others shun? Be that person who smiles at them and tells them they are pretty, smart or worthy. Give them hope for another day.

Be blessed my friends –

Love,

Kris