“You matter,” Sister Rita whispered to me as I sat down from giving the keynote address to the men and women in the Junior League Banquet room. It is the 25th Anniversary for Wellsprings Village and the founders Sister Justin Farinell, O.P and Sister Rita Owens, O.P. were being honored. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it, pulled me in close and whispered again over and over, “You matter.”
When I prayed about what I wanted to share in the short 20 minute slot I knew they were coming to hear ‘my story’ but that I also wanted to focus on the importance of Wellsprings Village and the work it does for battered and homeless women and how they give them value and let them know they matter. I’ve stood in front of thousands and spoken for a much longer period of time and have given more intimate details of my story but it was still unnerving to have Bishop Fiorenza front row center staring up at me.
There is always that hiss at the base of my thoughts that breathes lies, “He doesn’t know why you are up there. He thinks you are are ridiculous. Don’t tell that story, it isn’t appropriate for this crowd…”
Strengthened by the much more positive words in my heart I carried on and eventually felt the hiss slink away all together as the message I’d been given to deliver made its way home.
My prayer is that those who attended knew the blessing they’d give by their donations to Wellsprings Village and I look forward to working with Wellsprings to bring a restorative program to the residences so they know how much they matter. 😉
It is always a privilege and honor to do these events and have the opportunity to sell books and charms in order to keep the ministry going. I’ll admit, however, that what Hopeful Hearts receives through this is just enough to do the bare minimum of spreading the message of hope. There is so much more that Hopeful Hearts has the potential of offering but we need the 501 c3 status to come in! Even though your tax donations are tax deductible now as I am in the ‘waiting period’ there are still many donations that can’t be made because they need the official ‘paperwork’ for their corporations and not to mention the grants I’ve been told to apply for that can’t be done until I receive the ‘golden ticket’.
My dad, who reads my blog (God bless him 😉 ), called me yesterday telling me to ‘make a list of what the needs are for Hopeful Hearts’ and let everyone know. Actually, I’m working on a more clear and distinct letter that explains what we have to offer now and what our goals are to offer in the future and as soon as that is to my liking I’ll post it for all to see. In the meantime, to be quite frank, my #1 goal is the 501 c3 because so many more doors can be opened.
After my hemming and hawing last week over ‘what to do’ I sat down and poured out to God the desires of my heart and for Hopeful Hearts ( I even numbered them) and then numbered the doors that seemed to be opened. I asked for clear direction and I do believe He is giving it to me. It is clear that I can do many things in tandem with one another but the only one I couldn’t the door closed today. 😉
One day at a time…patience is a virtue…don’t put the cart before the horse…let go and let God…