Connecting
Stories
56 Stories For Preaching
It's not the connections you have, Kara thought, but the
connecting. It was finally dawning on her that it is God who does
the calling -- who has the message -- but it's up to her to do the
connecting.
Her first computer class, part of the business administration
degree she would complete this January, had taught her that.
Before sending a report over the phone modem, she had to confirm
her connection with the right department. At first, the whole
process was a puzzle. After several false attempts, she had
connected her computer to the machine at the other end of the
line without the help of an instructor. From then on, her
learning soared.
Sometimes Kara wished life were that mechanical. The mystery
for her had always been knowing for sure that the signals she was
getting came from God. How do you know if your life direction is
what God has in mind for you or if it is just wishful thinking?
Kara had struggled with that one more than once. She had
already changed colleges and her major. That had held its own
trauma until her perspective cleared. There were enough middle-
aged second career students in her class to witness that one can
survive such changes and become even more clearly focused. The
issue for her now was making, no accepting, her choice to avoid
trying to do everything at once. She was not of her mother's
prove it, superwoman generation.
Sure, her whole life stretched out ahead of her, but she had
not anticipated starting a career, getting married and becoming a
step-parent of a five-year-old all at the same time. She would
not pay the tremendous price of doing it all right
now. She was completing the degree. Her career would have to wait
a few years.
At first, the whole process was a puzzle. More than once Kara
had given God a "You sure aren't being very helpful here" prayer.
Was God speaking now through her own gradual tuning into what she
was supposed to be doing with her life? Was God coming in the
shape of a little boy?
Kara had gotten to know Jeff the summer after high school. She
knew from the beginning that his son was part of the package.
Jeff had custody of Jeremy. The depth of her love for Jeff
overrode her surprise -- maybe she should call it reluctance -- at
the initial thought of becoming an instant parent at twenty-
three.
If she had not seen such a change in that kid in the last two
years. She did not want to disturb the bond between the father
and the son. The little guy snuggling next to her on the couch
now hadn't wanted to be near any woman, particularly after the
trying weekend visitation with his mother. One Sunday night, Kara
was rewarded for her easygoing attitude when Jeremy plopped onto
the couch and planted a rare kiss on her arm -- definite enough to
feel through her sweatshirt. Jeremy knew Kara was safe. Kara sent
off another prayer, well, God, here I am.
connecting. It was finally dawning on her that it is God who does
the calling -- who has the message -- but it's up to her to do the
connecting.
Her first computer class, part of the business administration
degree she would complete this January, had taught her that.
Before sending a report over the phone modem, she had to confirm
her connection with the right department. At first, the whole
process was a puzzle. After several false attempts, she had
connected her computer to the machine at the other end of the
line without the help of an instructor. From then on, her
learning soared.
Sometimes Kara wished life were that mechanical. The mystery
for her had always been knowing for sure that the signals she was
getting came from God. How do you know if your life direction is
what God has in mind for you or if it is just wishful thinking?
Kara had struggled with that one more than once. She had
already changed colleges and her major. That had held its own
trauma until her perspective cleared. There were enough middle-
aged second career students in her class to witness that one can
survive such changes and become even more clearly focused. The
issue for her now was making, no accepting, her choice to avoid
trying to do everything at once. She was not of her mother's
prove it, superwoman generation.
Sure, her whole life stretched out ahead of her, but she had
not anticipated starting a career, getting married and becoming a
step-parent of a five-year-old all at the same time. She would
not pay the tremendous price of doing it all right
now. She was completing the degree. Her career would have to wait
a few years.
At first, the whole process was a puzzle. More than once Kara
had given God a "You sure aren't being very helpful here" prayer.
Was God speaking now through her own gradual tuning into what she
was supposed to be doing with her life? Was God coming in the
shape of a little boy?
Kara had gotten to know Jeff the summer after high school. She
knew from the beginning that his son was part of the package.
Jeff had custody of Jeremy. The depth of her love for Jeff
overrode her surprise -- maybe she should call it reluctance -- at
the initial thought of becoming an instant parent at twenty-
three.
If she had not seen such a change in that kid in the last two
years. She did not want to disturb the bond between the father
and the son. The little guy snuggling next to her on the couch
now hadn't wanted to be near any woman, particularly after the
trying weekend visitation with his mother. One Sunday night, Kara
was rewarded for her easygoing attitude when Jeremy plopped onto
the couch and planted a rare kiss on her arm -- definite enough to
feel through her sweatshirt. Jeremy knew Kara was safe. Kara sent
off another prayer, well, God, here I am.
