My Friend Shelby

This is my friend Shelby.  She frequently visits the shelter I help at.  I met her there last Christmas when my family and I went to go help serve Christmas dinner.  She usually wears sunglasses and a cute hat.  I’ll join her towards the end of lunch and she’ll tell me what the squirrels say when she drinks her coffee in the park.  She also shares about her daughter in New Mexico, her kittens, and the life she once knew a long time ago.

Yesterday, she approached me and asked if I would pray for her.  She said she was on day 5 of her “new life”.  She couldn’t tell me what her new life was all about or what it entailed but she knew that she needed a new life and that she couldn’t live it without a little help.  I was honored to sit next to her and say a prayer.

I have to admit, I wonder why she asked me.  We’ve never really talked about faith before.  Most of the time I just sit and listen.  When I’m not sitting with her, I’m usually helping participants fill out assistance forms or hauling bags of dog food for our pet assistance program.  It’s not like I wear a t-shirt that says “Licensed Minister” and I know she’s never read my blog.

The only conclusion I can make is that maybe all that sitting, listening, smiling, and serving has made an impression that no amount of preaching, shoulder patting, scripture quoting, or advice giving could ever make.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad she asked me to pray and I’m still praying that her “new life” continues on to day 6, day 7, 8, 9, 10 and keeps on going.