Enjoy the Moment

Wednesday nights are typically my nights that I have the privilege of staying at the Hope House. 

When 5am Thursday morning rolls around, I’m in full swing ‘Mama Mode’. (...Even though I’m not technically a mom yet, you kind of have to be in that mode when you’re trying to get 50 girls ready for school in the morning. Haha) 

The girls wake up, get dressed, we eat breakfast, read the Bible and pray together, brush teeth, finish up leftover homework and then usually at about 6:45am, the bus is running and ready to take the first group of girls to school - the older girls - the ‘high school girls’.

Every Thursday morning at this time, I wait by the door and hug each one as they walk out to the bus. And every Thursday morning, all of the “littles” try to sneak and join the older girls running out the door. Each time they do it, it’s so cute hearing them joke saying ‘¡Ciao Raquel!!!” as if they’re about to go hop on the older girls’ bus and be a high-schooler for the day!

Last Thursday morning it was a tad different though...still cute, but it was different. I thought to myself as they were running towards the bus, “Please don’t grow up too soon!”. 

Maybe it was because I was still in ‘Mama Mode,’ but I was really so surprised at all of the feelings that came over me. 

“Never get older!” 

“Stay this way forever!” 

“Don’t rush it!” 

“Enjoy this moment!”

I know, we were all eager to be older when we were that age, but, last Thursday my heart was stirred at the sight.  

Maybe it was because I started to think of myself at that age. I DID rush it. When I was a teenager, I did everything possible to grow up, be an adult, and act a whole lot older than I actually was. And I walked through a lot of hard things because of that. 

Maybe it was because I’ve been living in a season of transitions and am constantly praying about the future and what the Lord’s next steps for me will be. 

Whatever reason it may have been that my heart was so stirred, I heard Him speak these words. “Enjoy where you’re at right now. THIS moment. This season. Take it all in!”

“Enjoy where you’re at right now. THIS moment. This season. Take it all in!”

-To you, sweet “littles,” running to try and jump on the bus to the high school - enjoy where you’re at right now. THIS moment. This season. Take it all in! 

-To you, Rachel, praying about your future - enjoy where you’re at right now. THIS moment. This season. Take it all in! 

-To you, reader, wherever you’re at & whatever you’re going through - enjoy where you’re at right now. THIS moment. This season. Take it all in!

We’re exactly where we’re at, at this time, for a purpose. Don’t rush it. Don’t try to skip it. Don’t run away from it. EMBRACE IT! He’s got a plan! 

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT