We are on the cusp of another Resurrection season and the anticipation is building. During this time of Lent, it has been a meaningful experience for me and for many of our Urban Mission staff, as we reflect on the goodness of God – even in the waiting.
For example, just last month, we hosted an open house and ribbon cutting event for Martha Manor. It was a celebration of tremendous proportions! The halls of Martha Manor were filled with friends, family, and community supporters as we gave thanks to God for the opening of our women’s shelter! Now, we must wait (at least one more week!) for the city to do their final inspection.
Also last month, we spent time with a group of architects and engineers walking around the neighborhood surrounding the Urban Mission, casting vision and gaining a greater understanding of what God might be up to on North Street and beyond. It was a meaningful and exciting time to see what could be! Now we wait, as we send out surveys, conduct interviews, and gather the community for a few visioning meetings to make sure our plans align with those around us.
I am also reminded of the waiting that takes place in our shelters. Many times, our guests must wait. They wait for a permanent home. They wait for a job. They wait for healing and restoration. But even amid the waiting, God is present. In our shelters, our guests experience the power of prayer, relationships, and even moments of clarity where they can see how God is at work in their lives. Even in the waiting, for them, there is meaning and perhaps necessity.
Lent is a reminder that even in the waiting, God meets us and heals us and restores us and transforms us a bit closer to His likeness. For that, I am thankful for the wait.
With you in the waiting,
Rev. Ashley Steele