An Afternoon Visitor

It had been a full day in the office downtown today and as we were preparing to leave for the day a young lady with two small boys came in. We sat down at the table and I heard her story.....her husband is incarcerated and she is essentially homeless. Her furniture is packed up in a storage building and she is living from one shelter to another.
She explained that she was doing pretty good after her husbands arrest, with her grandmother in her home helping with the boys while she went out looking for a job until her grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to go back to Charlotte. She has been searching for a job for a very long time and there have been no openings. She lives on the bare minimum as she cares for her little ones and hopes and prays that she will be able to obtain a job in the near future. She has some medical experience and has applied at all the area hospitals without results.
I would be totally discouraged and down in the mouth but she was very pleasant, well dressed and mannerly. Her children were very obedient and responded well to her direction. She is out in the world caring for two small children and trying to make ends meet.
Got me to thinking about how bad we all think we have it. We have to clean, to cook for our husbands, to get to one appointment after another in our fine cars, and then we fuss when we have to go to work. We don't have near the odds against us, yet we groan and complain. Shame on us. What is that verse that goes something like this...."Do all things as unto the Lord without grumbling or complaining.
As you say your prayers to night, pray for Renee and her kids. She will have to find another place to live in two weeks cause her time will be up at this facilitiy. Pray we will be able to supply her with some resources that can help her living situation. Pray for her to have the strength she needs to raise those precious boys. Pray that God will provide her every need.
I am reminded of the passage in Matt. 10:42, "Whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple surely, I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward."
Oh Lord, help us to always be willing to give a cup of cold water to those who enter our doors who are in need. I know you brought this young lady our way today. Help us to know how to help her in your name. She acknowledged that she is a child of yours and we thank You for that. Help us know now how to help our sister in Christ in the coming days. We don't want to lose our reward in You Lord. Oh please don't let us lose this opportunity.