Questions and Answers

I watch Him work in her life
and am encouraged.

Not so long ago I shared that she claims to be an atheist. 
In a recent conversation, she told me,
“Ya know, I don’t think I’m an atheist, I think I’m more of an agnostic.
It’s not that I am certain there is no God … it’s just that I don’t see proof of Him.”

And my heart rejoices.

The other weekend, as I finished the bike ride in Aiken, Joy texted me to ask if I was riding with the group that was coming in at the Odell Weeks Recreation center. I was only about five miles from the finish when I received her text. She was at the skate park in Aiken with a friend. As I pulled into the parking lot, I made my way to the ramps to find her. I watched her skate, we talked for a bit and then she introduced me to the park’s attendant, Travis.  

As we spoke, we casually covered college, skate boarding, motorcycle accidents and more. I questioned Travis about a book he was reading … and  our conversation quickly moved deep into relationships, introspection, being a thinker, his blog, To The Root and more. Joy was within ear shot and she commented on the fact that Travis and I had just met, yet we had moved into the deepest conversation she had been privy to overhear that week. She followed the statement with the one she often uses when she doesn’t know what to do with me, “Mom, you’re so goofy.”

The next day, I requested to be Travis’ Facebook friend
and, upon his acceptance of that request,
found that he had written about Joy on his Facebook wall.

He mentioned in his post that she was a polite and respectful young girl
that he had talked to several times.
She mentioned that her mom was a Christian …
yet he was surprised when she told him that she was an atheist.
His gut reaction was to tell her that she wasn’t old enough to hold that opinion,
but with wisdom and grace,
rather he told her that she should research and own the idea.
He said that he knew several atheists who were well-studied and held strong convictions.
He pointed out that he respected them because they knew why they believed.
He guided her not to grab hold of the ideas of the those around her,
but give herself a strong base for her own convictions.
If she was going to claim to be an atheist,
then she needed to be able to defend the concept.

I was moved
with awe
by the active movement of God in her life.

Here was a wise, young man
put into her path
telling her the SAME THING
that I had told her only a few months before.
“Be able to back up your ideas and opinions
with a defense.
Know WHY you believe
what you say that you do.”

Last night, as I lie in bed, I heard her talking.
I assumed she is on her phone.
I asked her who she was talking to and she answered,
“I’m reading my Bible … out loud … to myself.”

I am so thankful.
I’m thankful for the presence of people in her life that challenge her to “own” her beliefs.
I’m thankful for her courage to be herself, to question and to search for answers.
I’m thankful for her honesty with me … and even that she is struggling …
for in our struggles, healthy people ask questions and seek answers.
And that is exactly what she is doing.

Praise be to God.