Travailing with our clients

Colleen Tronson of Metro Women's Center in Crystal, MN, reflects on how hard it is to wait to see God work in clients' lives:

I have found myself begging the Lord for His continuing wisdom as to how to help our clients, many of whom we have worked with for years. I have been asking Him to please lead our volunteers and myself to the Biblical principles that will cause that "AH-HA" moment for our clients. We strive to use the Word to bring about change in the lives of these dear ones, and the exciting part of this struggle is that as we study, we are changed and grow in our faith. Imagine that! We recognize that it is our job to bring the individual to the Word, and then it is their choice to respond or not; however, it is the waiting that makes us (me) crazy!

As I have been pondering this process lately, the word that keeps coming to my mind is "travail." Webster says travail is either a noun meaning "painful or laborious effort" or a verb meaning "to engage in painful or laborious effort." The Word speaks of travail in Galatians 4:19-20 where Paul says, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you." Matthew Henry's commentary says in part that Paul is expressing affection and concern for the welfare of the Galatians. Not a passing concern but a "sincere concern for their truest advantage." They thought he was their enemy, but he tries to reassure them that "he had the bowels of a parent towards them." He expresses his earnest thoughts for them not only physically but spiritually using the travailing (birthing) woman idea. He was in pain for them that Christ might be formed in them, so they would become real Christians indeed, and grow in their faith.

There are many travailing moments in this ministry, whether it is the travail over making the decision to have the baby or abort; to parent or make an adoption plan; to marry or single parent; to choose abstinence or continue with sexual activity; to choose Christ or reject Him; to obey the Word or not. Through it all I know that GOD's WORD WILL NOT RETURN VOID, and that is where I can rest.

God continues to give us evidence of this truth, through little "splashes of joy." This week one of our volunteers was able to pray with a woman to receive the Lord; a client worked through trusting God during a time of grieving; and we even saw glimmers of change in the life of another woman. YIPEEEE! We even saw the Lord provide a great donation of maternity clothing this week -- we had been running low and the items were really cute!

We are even in travail as we move forward with plans for the Amazing Grace Home. Last Saturday, we made an offer on a home, but we were outbid. We worked hard (labored) through the process and grew as a team, but the Lord has another plan for us. So, we will keep looking and praying.