When A Bit of Your Family History Shows Up in the Newspaper
Just after Thanksgiving, a cousin tagged me in a Facebook post about this picture in the Omaha newspaper. The Salvation Army officer in the photo is my paternal grandfather. The cousin who sent it to me is actually on my mother’s side and was confirming that this was indeed my grandpa.
Grandfather Garfield Dalberg was the commanding officer at what was once called the men’s social (now they are called Adult Rehabilitation Centers, or ARC’s). He oversaw the rehabilitation and the physical and spiritual well being of men who came to the Army when perhaps no one else in the world believed in them.
He was a quiet man, but in His service to God, he accomplished much for the kingdom. My first memories of him were after his retirement, but I often think about how he volunteered to work with the elderly all the way to the end of his life, even though he was older than many of those he helped! Several of my uncles and my aunt also served in the Salvation Army and followed in his footsteps.The whole experience got me wondering about what I’m doing now that might be remembered and worth mentioning 57 years into the future.
About a week ago, I sat in a young man’s office. He was interviewing me for a position as Women’s Day Coordinator at the John 3:16 Mission in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He shared how he was the 11th generation Southern Baptist preacher. His spiritual heritage was deep and held a huge significance in his life. Now he was following in His ancestor’s footsteps.
A week later, I found myself having the pleasure of serving the women’s homeless and at-risk community at John 3:16. In my previous positions, I have had a more backseat and administrative position while serving the homeless and at-risk community. Now, I’d be right in the middle of all of it. To be honest, I am scared stiff. I know my heart is big enough, but I will need to hear God’s voice and follow in a deeper way than I ever have. I have all the same questions that flood a person’s mind when starting a big and new endeavor. Do I have what it takes? And what if I don’t, what if I fail? How stupid will I look for trying something different?
I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors. This is the only one that flew wide open. I know that I can do some good here, but honestly, some of it is scary. It seems like that’s what awaits me at every turn at this point in my life - a wall of fear; fear of failure, fear of confrontation, fear of the unknown. I’d love to run back to what is safe, but there seems to be no home base of safety left in my life, only a life full of risky adventure where I am vulnerable and and trusting God on a whole new level.
Perhaps that’s what God is trying to work in me. Perhaps He is asking for me to boldly go where I’ve never been. I’m not speaking of a place, an occupation or a destination, but rather a place in my walk with Him. A secret place where things may happen around me, but I walk through, trusting in Him and consequently showing His glory with each step. I’ll never forget during my Love INC training, Ray VanderLaan explaining how we are to bring order into chaos and in so doing we are displaying the glory of God, revealing His goodness.
Maybe loving the unloved and unlovely is the thing that I will do that is worth mentioning 57 years after I die. What I do know is that it is currently the path before me, and I will walk through the doorstep joyfully and expectant believing that I am here for His glory and His purpose.
Today I found myself sitting down and having lunch with a young lady who’d like to turn her life around. Someone who has been marginalized and used up since she was a baby. I listened to her story and wondered what right I had to be afraid. She was already such an overcomer. She had survived more in her 19 years than I had in my 51. I carefully looked at the picture above when I came home. Grandpa Dalberg is extending his hand out in invitation - an invitation to more than a piece of pumpkin pie. He is offering his time, his friendship and ultimately a friendship with Christ. That’s something I can do. I can be a 3rd generation missionary to the forgotten, overlooked and unseen. I can help bring a little order in the chaos of both my own life and the lives of those around me.
Perhaps God is leading you to a new frontier. Something different and bold. Do what is in your hand to do today. Do it with courage. Don’t shrink back when there are obstacles, because there will be obstacles! Let Him lead through the shadowy places as well as the well-lit places, the unsure places as well as the confident places. He will lead you through, and you will be different and stronger on the other side, and in the end you’ll be leaving a godly heritage for your family to follow.
