“Waiting on God’s Timing” by Theresa Casey
The email came last night. It was only a few written sentences from the Kids Hope USA director, but those sentences filled my heart with joy far quicker than any unexpected tangible gift possibly could. The email popped into my inbox just five minutes to five o’ clock, and if there hadn’t been so many coworkers absent from the office, I would have been on my feet and at each of their doors letting them know, “I’ve been assigned! I’ve been chosen as a Kids Hope mentor for little Edie!”
You may wonder why I am so thrilled. The reason is this: It’s been a longer process than expected to become a mentor through the Kids Hope USA program. No, my background check cleared just fine, and from what I understood, my interview went well. What kept me from becoming involved in a young child’s life was a rare situation that our church faces.
The elementary school my church partners with is a sought after school in the area. It has the reputation that a majority of children there do very well socially and academically. It’s one of the few cases where a church has many mentors, but not enough children to utilize them all. I was unaware of this until the end of my “mentor interview,” when the director let me know that she hoped to connect me with a child soon, but was unsure of how long it could take.
“Pray that God provides enough children to utilize everyone!” she commented cheerfully.
“Absolutely, I will,” I replied with a smile on my face. In my heart, I felt frustrated. I knew that God’s timing was perfect. However, waiting wasn’t in my plan.
As I drove back to the office after my interview, I prayed that God would hurry and provide a child that I could pour my life into. In college, I spent three years studying education, and was incredibly passionate about the impact one-on-one time can have on a child’s life. I had mentored several elementary children during my time in school, and not once had I ever faced a situation where my time was not immediately needed. It was surprisingly frustrating.
The next few weeks I spent trying not to think about the fact that it could take a long time until I heard back from the Kids Hope USA director. Often, I would pray that if God had a child in mind, that He would give me peace in order to respect His timing. I tried to remind myself that it was quite possible that the relationship that God had in mind just wasn’t ready yet.
As November approached, the national office staff was given a short list of churches to pray for over the month, as well as corresponding emails in order to share those prayers to directors across the country. I sent out emails as I prayed. Then one morning, I came into the office with a reply message in my inbox. It was from a Kids Hope USA director who felt very distraught.
She expressed that the school her church was connected with had recently experienced large changes in leadership. The new school leadership wasn’t familiar with Kids Hope USA, and was apprehensive to continue with the program. The director had struggled to convince the school to allow experienced mentors back into the building. New mentors had waited almost two months for approval to come and build relationships with these young children who desperately need a caring, faithful friend.
Two months. Two months of waiting on a school that was previously welcoming to the Kids Hope USA program. I sat back in my chair and realized that this message was not only a call to pray for this director, but message for me to trust in God’s timing. Wow, I had nothing to complain about.
I was further humbled as similar messages rolled into my inbox over the next week. Not all situations were as extreme as the first, but they all had struggles. They all required patience and waiting on God’s plan. So I prayed, and waited.
It was six weeks before I learned that I had been assigned to mentor a little girl in the second grade. My heart rejoiced and I thanked the Lord for his faithfulness and timing. I am so incredibly excited for the opportunity to encourage a young person in my community. As I document my experiences and time with little Edie, I pray that they are able to encourage you, whether you are involved in the Kids Hope USA organization or not. Please join me and pray for every Kids Hope USA partner that may be experiencing a trial of patience – that they would experience the Lord’s peace and be reminded that his timing is perfect.
“I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.” – Psalm 27:13-14
– – –
Theresa Casey works for the Kids Hope USA National Office as a Marketing & Communications/Donor Relations Specialist. She recently joined the organization in October of 2013, and is excited to share with you her journey and experiences in becoming a Kids Hope USA mentor.
You can learn more about Kids Hope USA and how you can make a difference to the youth in your community by visiting www.KidsHopeUSA.org