A Warm Hug and A Listening Ear

It’s the eve of Labor Day weekend in 2021, I’m making phone calls, planning my outfits, and prepping my soul for being around four thousand brothers and sisters for a conference that aims to ignite a fire in young adults to love God with an undivided heart. I love people, but being around four thousand of them for over twelve hours is a lot for me, especially because I’m somewhat introverted (to put it kindly). The first day of the conference happens, it’s perfect. I hear one of my favorite authors/speakers that has shaped my spiritual formation the past few years through his writing and podcast. He even spoke about my favorite topic, biblical literacy and blew not just my mind away, but my heart. I was like a kid in a candy store (preferably the Hershey’s store). 

Fast forward to day 2 of the conference and the morning starts off with my favorite worship leaders. Getting to praise God with dear friends on top of getting to hear my favorite worship leaders? My heart was full. Up next was another lights out teacher. But what left a mark wasn’t necessarily her message, but what she did before it started was quite simply remarkable. She asked the whole room to write down two questions and their corresponding answer. The questions were, “what do you want?” and “what are you grieving?” After the room had written down the answers we were prompted to share it with the people around us. Luckily I knew the people around me and it wasn’t as horrifying as it may sound to some. The speaker then proceeded to ask for volunteers to share what they had written down and this is where the magic happened. Answers were raw and honest. From people wanting unity, perfectionism, glory of God, to serve the nations as a missionary all the way to people grieving sin, unfulfilled dreams, rejection, past life, even the death of a father. It was comforting to know that in a room full of people from all over the nation and even across the world, we all had shared experiences of loss and pain at some point in our lives. There was a cohesive energy in the room that was just electric. After her talk was a scheduled coffee break. That was bliss.

The last speaker of day 2 was someone I was fairly familiar with. I heard a few of his sermons before, followed him on Instagram, and bought one of his books. I thought I had a grasp on what to expect, but alas I was about to hear a talk that would change my life. He spoke of how God transforms dead hearts to become alive to Christ, what it meant for God to permeate every area of our lives, and how God brings people in our lives who we would never expect who end up being the exact thing we need. As the speaker progresses through his message, he uses examples of his experience from his home church of two unlikely people who met at church and became inseparable. The pair was an white elderly lady who needed help getting around who had befriended a large hispanic guy. They came from vastly different backgrounds who probably would’ve never thought of each other unless they met in somewhat precarious circumstances. Yet God saw it fit that they would meet and love one another so that they would grow into the image of Christ while still uniquely being themselves. It was beautiful.

 While he was speaking, I couldn’t help but to think of my grandma. My dear ‘Biba”. A five foot elderly lady from the smallest country in Central America who immigrated to the US due to a civil war in her home country. Did I mention she also had a husband and three young children? Leaving the only place she had ever known was no small thing. She was a storied person with a rich history, yet to me, she was just my Biba. The person who bathed me, taught me Spanish, gave me sweet treats, and loved me with her whole being. We went to symphonies together, shared a love of 50s music, and loved having coffee and pan dulce together (pan dulce is sweet bread). I adored my grandma. Due to Covid complications in February she laid her head down for the final time surrounded by her husband and children and awoke to find herself in the warm embrace of Christ himself. After all of this had crossed my mind in a matter of seconds, I started to silently weep in my chair hoping that no one would notice. After the message had ended, I went to gather myself and went to the chapel that had volunteers setup to talk with anyone who came into the room. As I moseyed into the room, I found a pew, got on my knees, and started praying fervently. While praying I realized that my view of God had changed over the past few months and had genuinely started to doubt that He was good. My tears at that point weren’t just about me missing my grandma, but for not seeing God for who He truly was. Eventually I got up and found my place back on the pew and noticed a person from afar who was waiting till he could come and speak with me. He asked for my name, asked what was on my mind, and started praying for me with tears in his eyes. He prayed for my joy, prayed for my hope to be renewed, shared his story with me, hugged me, and wept for me. It was as if he was absorbing my sorrow and replacing it with peace through his prayers for my joy to be full. This was pure love at its finest. 

On the last day of the conference, they had made time for everyone in the audience to confess with the people around you and pray for one another. So I once again shared what was on my heart but this time with a friend and it happened again. I was met with a listening ear, warmly embraced, and prayed for. My friend reminded me of God's good graces by providing people who show Christlike love exactly when I needed it.

So friends, I plead with you to love your friends well. Hug your friends often, listen with intent, weep with them, rejoice with them, and remind them of the Gospel. It’s a good and holy calling to love your friends in every season of life no matter how hard it may be. If you feel as though you’re not gifted at any of these things, what seems insufficient to you can mean a whole lot to someone else. It will always be worth it, I promise.

 I pray that this encourages your heart and pushes you to live your faith out with your loved ones well. God bless.