A Better Future

 Thinking today on the story of Hagar and how it reminds me of many of the clients we see here at Crossroads. Hagar was Sarah’s slave who she gave to her husband, Abraham, to have a child. Then along came Isaac, the promised child of Sarah and Abraham. When Sarah saw Ishmael, Hagar’s son making fun of her son Isaac, she insisted that Abraham cast Hagar and her son out.

 Genesis 21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

Hagar must have been terrified to be left out in the wilderness alone, with only bread and a bottle of water and no way to provide for her son.  When it was gone, she did not know what would become of her and her child. She feared that he would even die out there in the wilderness, so she sat down away from him and began to cry.  

This is the story of so many of the clients we see here at crossroads. They are scared and alone, wondering how they will provide for their babies, and what will become of their lives. They come in broken and defeated, not knowing where to look for help, and desperate for any glimmer of hope and encouragement.

In verse 17, we read that the angel of the Lord came with that message of hope and encouragement for Hagar! He assured her that God heard her cries. Then, God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. Notice, it doesn’t say that God suddenly made that well appear, but that He opened her eyes to see what was already there!  Grief and fear, had in essence blinded her eyes so that she could not see the blessings of God. But God was there and he heard their cries and had already made provision for them!

I’m so thankful that through Crossroads we have the privilege of being the messengers of God, to share a message of hope and point women today to the well that God has already provided for them and to let them know that God hears their cries as well.

One client, *Bethany, recently came with her boyfriend *Jason, to begin couples’ classes. She is expecting her first baby and told me that she doesn’t know how to be a mother. She grew up in foster homes and was finally adopted into a home where she was sexually abused. She was afraid for her child, wondering if she could give her a good life when all she has ever known is abuse and neglect. Bethany desires a better life, one that will not pass on her past trauma to her child, but doesn’t not know how to accomplish that or even what that looks like. Like Hagar, Bethany can only see the difficult circumstances of her life. She cannot yet see the plans that God has for her to give her that life of peace and love that she wants for her baby.

Through our Bridges program, however, we will be able to show Bethany a better future, to equip her, and teach her how to care for herself and her baby.  We can not only educate her and her boyfriend, helping to end the cycle of abuse and neglect, but we can also provide resources for their physical needs and most importantly point them to the springs of living water through faith in Christ. Because of Crossroads, we have the opportunity to show her and women like her, something better than the dry, barren wilderness of sin that they have known and tell them that God is there and that he hears their cries and sees their pain.

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV reads: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." 

As we demonstrate his love and mercy, we have the opportunity to share with them the promises in his word of  his goodness and blessings to those who turn to him and believe, to give them hope for a better future. I am blessed and thankful to have the opportunity to work with this young couple and pray that God will open their eyes to his truth and transform their lives!

Sandra Platt, Client Services Manager

*Bethany and Jason are fictitious names