I keep thinking this story is over.  I keep thinking that this journey I was on with a homeless friend who’s life intersected with mine is complete, and that the previous post will be my last. But God keeps doing more.

I actually didn’t set out for this to become a blog about homelessness.  But that’s what God keeps putting on my heart and bringing into my life, so I guess that’s what I’m going to keep writing about.

In the previous post, Getting into the Trenches, I journaled about my experience with a “homeless man” who became my friend.  My real friend.  Enough that I was willing to get into the trenches with him and do life with him, and enter into his circumstances.  And yes sometimes it was hard, frustrating, uncomfortable, and inconvenient.  But other times it was life-giving, fun, full of joy, and satisfying.  So basically, it was love.

I thought my love for him was complete when his circumstances improved and he transitioned from living in a tent by the river to a better environment.  But of course, God’s relentless love for him continued past that.  I would soon be asked to do more, love more, and give even more than before.  And this time it wasn’t his “homelessness” God wanted to heal, but his heart.

Fighting, drug addictions, and alcoholism had him removed from the ‘better’ situation he was in, and soon he was back on the streets again.  I was frustrated.  The neat little bow I thought had been tied around his situation for him to move forward had unraveled, and now we were back to square one again, or at least so it seemed.

The Sunday after I found out about all of this, my husband, several friends, and I were walking out of church.  I felt someone pull at my arm, and looked over to see that it was my friend.  And he looked awful.  Black eye, exhausted, hungry, sick.  But there was something different about his expression this time around that I hadn’t seen in him before.  He was broken, but there was a softness to him.

He explained that after being suicidal that week, he had come to church to see us and unexpectedly heard our pastor talk that morning about freedom from chains and getting to an “I need help” moment.  He said it was like God was literally talking to him personally.  He tried to explain his encounter with God, saying, “I know I need help” and “I’ve lost everything” and “I can’t do this anymore.”  It quickly became clear that he was experiencing a spiritual breakthrough.  Jesus was tugging at his heart.  And while he was telling me all of this, I felt God tell me: “Help him right now.”

But what could I do for him?  Right now?  Of course I already had previous commitments; I had coffee plans; I had promised to take a friend out to lunch right after church to celebrate her new job.  But I knew all of that needed to be put on hold when I felt God say: Help him right now.  Yes.

I canceled everything.  Through church I knew about a great Christian drug and alcohol addition program that had transformed many people’s lives, including another friend of ours.  I felt an impression on my spirit that he needed to go there – today.  The sense of urgency that I was experiencing was unmistakable: it was God’s heart for His child, and He was going after him – today.

Through a friend of ours making phone calls in the moment (thank you again!), an interview with the Director of the Program by phone, and absolutely remarkable favor, we were able to “bypass the system” and get him checked in that day.  As we sat together in the intake room, he broke down and sobbed, and my heart became heavy.  As I watched him remove lighters, knives, and all other items from his pockets, the night by the river came to mind.  It felt similar to this moment somehow.  I think it was that same familiar feeling of getting into the trenches with someone, entering into their circumstances, and sharing in their grief.

We never know where we’ll end up when we listen to God.  I definitely didn’t think I’d be sitting here in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center when I got dressed for church this morning.  But there’s no where else I’d rather be.

My husband and I filled out all of the paperwork and put our signatures down as his sponsors.  They explained we would be able to talk to him by phone in two weeks and see him in-person after a month.  I was hopeful about the prospect of getting to talk with him again, laugh with him, and see his growth in health and happiness over time.  The intake team left us alone for a few minutes with him before he would be taken into the program for 14 months.  We prayed together, cried together, and were excited together.  All three of us knew this was exactly where he needed to be right now, and that God would lead his steps from here.

As we left the facility, I was able to smile, realizing that my friend was going to get the help he needed, and also realizing we had once again said “yes” to God and getting into the trenches.  I was relieved by both.

It’s so interesting to watch how God works.  He leads, one step at a time; as you gain trust, as you gain faith. He will ask us to do one thing that seems big, and we say yes.  Then he asks us to do another thing that’s bigger, and we say yes.  And pretty soon we are saying yes to things that would have seemed absolutely crazy a few months ago.  How wise and gentle God is to grow us over time.

I think it’s easy to keep assuming our work is good enough in some ways or that the story is over.  But I’m learning with God that it is never over:  He asks, we say yes, and the journey continues.