a 27 year wait

 Those of you who have known me for decades might remember that back in the dark ages, before I got married I was living in Edinburgh in a house I had bought when I started my first job.  Before I became a Christian I had had a notion that I might want to provide homes for homeless people.  By the time Id been saved a while, had been working a while and had acquired a social work qualification the plan to house the homeless had become a teenager with a baby who moved into my house.  Cara was 16.  Katelin was 6 months old.  God had provided all I needed (including my best buddy Emma who bravely embarked on this venture with me) and He most definitely blessed the arrangement.  Cara was able to attend college, taking the baby with her every day to be looked after by the college creche.  I worked part time and looked after the two of them the rest of the time.  It went really well and the social work department who had placed Cara with us was keen for me to continue as a supportive landlady to teens leaving care.  I dreamed about being able to buy a bigger house, have more than one teen living with me and being able to support those moving on into independent living.  The desire the God had put in my heart was taking shape and I was loving it.

And then Keith.  Belfast.  Three boys.  

The plan seemed to come to a screeching halt in 2000 when I met and married Keith and moved over the water.  I sold my house and Cara and Katelin moved into a wee flat in Edinburgh.  I felt really bad about forcing her into independence earlier than planned.  But I had to trust that God knew what He was doing and I presumed that Id be able to do something similar in Northern Ireland once Id got settled.   So I bought a small house, phoned the social work department and told them what Id been doing in Edinburgh.  I offered my house and my social work/landlady support to any teenage careleaver they might have on their books.   They said no thanks.   I was a bit surprised.  But again, I had to trust that God was in it all - we rented out the house and I got on with the job of having three babies and bringing them up.

I didnt forget about that call on my life to provide homes for the homeless, but I suppose I thought that renting properties to people who needed them ( often at well below market rates) counted.  Years ticked by.   Kids grew and left home.  I hit 60 and retired from years of Jo Jingling.  I was looking forward to doing not terribly much and drinking lots of coffee.

And then, in June, came the phonecall.  A friend was phoning to say that a teenager he knew was homeless and that social work couldnt find anywhere to ' put' him.   The call wasnt because my friend was expecting anything from Keith and I, it was just that I had social work experience and he thought Id be a good person to chat through options.  The result of that call was that 2 days later we had a teenage lad living with us.   He is still with us and will probably be here for the forseeable future.  27 years after having said yes to my first teenager I said yes to my second.

Im reminded of all those Bible stories of God calling people to do something and then it taking decades for the something to happen.  Im reminded of all the Bible characters who were getting on in years when they were asked to do ' the thing' .  And Im very thankful that God hasnt asked me to have a baby in my 60s 😁.   And the funny thing is that if someone had asked me at the start of 2026 if I wanted to get approved as a carer and jump through the social work hoops, attend the meetings and deal with ' the system' Id have said no.   Definitely I'd have said no.   But God knew that.  So He bypassed all that and did it in a way that I couldnt say no.  Sneaky God.  

So the moral of the story is.........if it hasnt happened yet there is still time.  If you cant see how it might happen given your current circumstances - well, that's not a problem for God.  And if you are willing to say yes when something drops out of the sky into your lap you wont regret it.  And you might just change a life or two.