I asked our guest to share a few thoughts. Here are her unedited words. (You’ll notice, she’s a better writer than I am…)
Greetings,
My name is Geneva Simpson and my son Israel and I are homeless. But please save your pity, all Christians share my plight. This life is merely a rest stop; the Kingdom of Heaven is our only true home. Jesus didn’t have a worldly dwelling place and as His followers we’re ‘urban campers’ also… but who in their right mind would leave the stability of home and family to wander the earth homeless in pursuit of an unseen force?
“When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Mat 8:19-20)
It has been five years since I’ve accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Once upon a time, I was a Muslim employed as an administrative assistant for a college president. A co-worker shared a few scriptures with me and extended an invitation to a ‘come as you are’ worship service. I only agreed to go to silence her persistent pleas, but secretly I loathed Christians and had no real intentions of ever stepping foot inside the woman’s church. I knew my soul was malnourished; I hungered for something but couldn’t determine what it was. Yet, I still stubbornly refused the spiritual food my friend offered me.
Unbeknownst to me, at the time, my benefactor prayed the Lord would pierce my hardened heart. We met for lunch one afternoon and she delivered the painful prognosis very bluntly. The unrepentant sinner, that I was, faced an eternity in hell without salvation. Sadly, I would not partake of the Lord’s bounty in the hereafter. Then this mighty woman of God openly prayed for me, without trepidation, in a crowded Chinese restaurant! I knew, at that moment, my life would never be the same…
Several months after my baptism, I converted my pastor’s more weighty sermons to a few reader-friendly newsletters. ‘Scribed in the Spirit’ was well received; consequently, there was talk I might become editor of a larger publication. I truly felt blessed; what higher honor is there than to use ones spiritual gifts to glorify the Body of Christ. I was convinced I’d stumbled upon my true purpose. My entire being became enmeshed in evangelical literature and the 9-5 got less and less. It was clear, at least to me, I could no longer serve two masters. I quit my job confident the church would support me. I couldn’t have been more wrong; there was no safety net beneath me, and I fell hard. I was scorned and criticized for leaving a very good job and in such a poor economy, no less. Unsympathetic friends and family rebuked me and watched on as my life unraveled at the seams…
I have truly embarked upon the road less traveled. When you’re out on a limb, with no earthly means of support, one must depend on the Lord for basic survival. God is so real to me. I can not honor Him with soulless worship and whiny ‘why me’ prayers. Both my life and my son’s well being hang in the balance. Naturally, having a child out of wedlock has raised the stakes considerably, but my faith must see us through this season of transition.
Right before my son and I crossed paths with Dana and Susan, I received the word – Lord increase our faith. (Luke 17:5) I stayed up all night praying – I’d maxed out two credit cards at extended stay hotels. I only had enough for one more night in a substandard motel and didn’t know where we’d end up after that. Israel slept soundly in blissful ignorance as I lay crumpled on the floor in utter torment. “Where will we go Lord?” I cried out. I can almost feel Christ’s anguish during his prayer vigil the night before His arrest. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
Truly the Spirit can and will endure anything – oh – but the flesh…
Only a tortured and crucified Savior can understand the soul-gut wrenching agony I’ve experienced along this long and lonely faith walk. But the joy – the peace is indescribable. I can only say the moment Dana loaded us and all our earthly possessions (a white knapsack and my laptop) in his car that glorious day, a sublime calm enveloped me. The Lord said He would never leave my side and I believed Him…
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it, when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. (1 Cor. 4:11-13)