In A Moment

These past days we have been hosting some of the Americans students who were here for our Frydlant English camp.

One of the unique aspects to JV camps that we like to see happen, is home stays after the camp. When camp ends Saturday morning, Czech students take the American students home with them for the week-end. This serves to bridge camp life with real life, as well as give the American students an opportunity to see what their counterpoint Czech teenager's life is like.

The team that served our Frydlant camp was a large one this year - 25 people! Thus, our family was also able to bring home some Americans too, even though we don't have Czech teenagers!

Five delightful American teenagers from Lancaster, PA filled our home until yesterday morning, before they headed on their journey back to the States.

During week-ends like this, I try to be sensitive to the Lord's agenda. Am I to just provide a warm atmosphere and be in the background? Am I to speak a word of encouragement? Am I to engage and give something specific from the Lord? It's different every time.

But as the Lord would have it, this time was about sharing some of Dave's and my story...how we met, how we fell in love, how God called us here to Czech. As we shared with them on Saturday night, I had one of those moments of sensing we were on holy ground...couldn't have explained why, but it just felt that way.

We even shared with them the final song of our wedding that we'd written - a song called "Just a Preview". We haven't sung that in YEARS! But somehow, there it was, both in my hands as I played the piano, and in our voices as we sang.

Yesterday, after dropping them off at the train, I returned home to find kind notes from each of the students. But one in particular spoke to me:

Thank you so much for telling your story and singing one of your wedding songs. I can only hope and pray that I find someone who fits me as well as you fit each other. It is such an inspiration to see how in love you guys are after 25 years. I have had very few good examples of spouses and parents in my life and you two have helped shape my idea of what a true God loving family should look like. Thank you.

That brought tears to my eyes. I know what her story is and the background she's coming from. To think that God could use Dave and I, in just a moment, to shape her life is so precious to me.

It's really what I hope for every day - that God can use me, even in the smallest moments, to make a difference for His sake. That's what I want my life to be about.