Are Your Plans in Place?
by Robin Schara / Women’s Ministry and Global Missions Pastor
On the weekend of January 21, Pastor Pat used the analogy of the importance of preparing a will and designate guardianship of your children.
I wanted to jump out of my seat to share a story about a young teenage girl that we met on our mission trip to Hephzibah Children’s Home the week prior to reinforce why this is so important. Since it would have been quite inappropriate for me to interrupt Pastors Pat’s sermon, I will take this moment to communicate the story with you now.
On our mission trip we spent a night at each of the teen group homes baking homemade chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes and doing a fun activity with the residents. One of the homes was for teen moms and their children. There were seven moms with their seven children. One of the young moms just had a baby on December 27. Her situation is one of the many stories that left me heartbroken and grateful for Hephzibah’s existence.
Jessica had been in a few foster homes but for whatever reason whether she failed, the system failed her, or a combination of both, it resulted in her being placed at Hephzibah’s Children's Home. When she arrived at Hephzibah, she was pregnant and due one month later.
Her story started a few months before she was to deliver her precious baby. Tragically both of her parents died suddenly and unexpectedly. I don’t think Jessica’s parents were thinking they would be leaving this earth before meeting their new grandchild. Scripture states many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21) God said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your way and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) We all know life does not always go the way we plan. I am sure Jessica’s parents planned to be around to care for their child and grandchild. Clearly, God thought otherwise, He had a different plan for them.
I don’t know how her parents died, but what I do know is that Jessica has other family who love her and deeply desire to care for her and her child. Unfortunately, her parents never designated any form of guardianship for Jessica so she was awarded to the state while this teen’s aunt fights the state for legal guardianship of her and her daughter, an eight to twelve-month process.
If you are a parent, I encourage you to have your plans in place for your children’s sake. I am grateful God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure (Ephesians 1:5). God has prepared a will and guardianship for His children. His plan is in place and it does not fail His children.
Please pray for Jessica and her baby while she waits. I also ask if you will pray for Hepzibah Children’s Home as they go through a huge transition of how they will operate in the future. If you are interested in learning more, read the full announcement here.
On the weekend of January 21, Pastor Pat used the analogy of the importance of preparing a will and designate guardianship of your children.
I wanted to jump out of my seat to share a story about a young teenage girl that we met on our mission trip to Hephzibah Children’s Home the week prior to reinforce why this is so important. Since it would have been quite inappropriate for me to interrupt Pastors Pat’s sermon, I will take this moment to communicate the story with you now.
On our mission trip we spent a night at each of the teen group homes baking homemade chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes and doing a fun activity with the residents. One of the homes was for teen moms and their children. There were seven moms with their seven children. One of the young moms just had a baby on December 27. Her situation is one of the many stories that left me heartbroken and grateful for Hephzibah’s existence.
Jessica had been in a few foster homes but for whatever reason whether she failed, the system failed her, or a combination of both, it resulted in her being placed at Hephzibah’s Children's Home. When she arrived at Hephzibah, she was pregnant and due one month later.
Her story started a few months before she was to deliver her precious baby. Tragically both of her parents died suddenly and unexpectedly. I don’t think Jessica’s parents were thinking they would be leaving this earth before meeting their new grandchild. Scripture states many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21) God said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your way and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) We all know life does not always go the way we plan. I am sure Jessica’s parents planned to be around to care for their child and grandchild. Clearly, God thought otherwise, He had a different plan for them.
I don’t know how her parents died, but what I do know is that Jessica has other family who love her and deeply desire to care for her and her child. Unfortunately, her parents never designated any form of guardianship for Jessica so she was awarded to the state while this teen’s aunt fights the state for legal guardianship of her and her daughter, an eight to twelve-month process.
If you are a parent, I encourage you to have your plans in place for your children’s sake. I am grateful God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure (Ephesians 1:5). God has prepared a will and guardianship for His children. His plan is in place and it does not fail His children.
Please pray for Jessica and her baby while she waits. I also ask if you will pray for Hepzibah Children’s Home as they go through a huge transition of how they will operate in the future. If you are interested in learning more, read the full announcement here.