Faith, hope, and love

I mentioned in earlier posts that I was hanging out with a couple that used to serve in the Catholic church during the holidays. Frank and Joan Testa. Frank went to a Catholic seminary in Belgium (it's where they send all the smart priests-to-be) and Joan, served for over twenty years as a nun - she wanted to be a nun when she was very young. Why they came out of the Catholic church is very long and involved and not the point of this post.

Anyhow - this couple just loved on me and anyone who does not know the Testas and have not had the privelage of being completely spoiled for a weekend by them is just missing out, that's all there is to it.

More than being very well fed though - i was so thankful for their confidance in me, or maybe I should say their confidance in God to work through me and to come through on my behalf. They prayed with such great faith that the Lord has something tremendously good for me, that He has a hope and a future for me.

They took me to this resturaunt on Friday, and we were talking about my anxieties. Frank told me quite assuringly, "Jen, when you have a pure heart, a heart that is seeking after God, He will always lead you where you need to go. We see your heart and you need to rest in the truth that He wants for you to not worry and to be encouraged, this is the very reason we invited you up here."

When you are uncertain about life and God and where He wants you to go, it is so difficult to see the possibilities. We so desperately need the body of Christ, we need those by our side who will speak faith, hope, and love over us when our vision is tainted and dim. We need people who see in us what we do not see in ourselves. We are kidding ourselves to believe that we can fashion our destinies alone. We need each other.

Frank and Joan loved me like I was their daughter this weekend. The Testas do not have any of their own children naturally, because they got married later in life. But they have so many spiritual children, beloved sons and daughters and I count myself among the lucky few who have been "adopted" by these precious people.