Hello friends! I am so sorry it has been a couple weeks! I am currently on a technology fast and that has limited my time to blog but I am excited to share what is going on! Here is something little to tie you over and ponder! So far Houston is great and I am growing and being challenged immensely while being immersed in the love of the Lord! Can’t wait to share more!
We arrived at our house to grab a few things one afternoon and there was a note on our door. As we read the note, it was not your typical “Welcome to the Neighborhood” letter. In fact, it was the opposite and requested that we leave. There was a fear of what our presence would do to the neighborhood. It expressed concerns for their children and less violence. Now we knew that what we were wanting to do was to love the neighbors, but this person did not understand. It was a hard note to get and immediately I became defensive. They do not even know us and they already wanted us out. As I prayed and processed this, I was challenged not to get defensive but to accept it as a piece of what my neighbors of a different race have faced more times than I have or will ever have to. Discrimination based on the color of one’s skin and white flight. White flight is essentially when a minority family moves into a primarily white neighborhood, but because of fear, many white families move away thinking that the property value will decrease and violence will enter what is a quiet neighborhood. Fear is the main drive to this flight and it has happened and still is happening all over the U.S. I felt a piece of that this day. I felt unwanted because I was white. I felt nervous because I was there but no one knew me yet. But the Lord knew this. I had been praying so long for the Lord to break my heart for what breaks his. THIS was that breaking. THIS was a piece of what breaks his heart: prejudgments and fear of his beloved children based on their skin color. I am learning and processing this note as the Lord moves in my heart to. I am thankful for this note and pray that I would continue to feel the heart of the Lord as I struggle with brokenness and injustices that are happening all around me. God is the redeemer of all things and he makes beautiful things out of us.
I am praying for you! Thank you for sharing this DB!