“Driving Miss Daisy” was a popular movie about a woman and her chauffer. In life sometimes we are chauffer to someone who needs a ride as a small act of kindness. Several years ago, I worked for “Young Life” and their program for young moms was called “Young Lives” . It was called Young Lives because when you help a young teen mom you are helping the baby also. I was amazed at how committing to a certain need in my community helped me grow as a follower of Jesus and helped them have some tangible, practical needs met. It was challenging and I didn’t always know what to do so I prayed. During this time God allowed me to be with teen moms and speak into their lives. Below is a story I previously wrote about “Driving Ms. Daisy”.
A girl named Daisy first came to a Club event with a friend who regularly attended “Young Lives.” This year it seemed as though most of my leaders had been unable to give rides, so I picked up Daisy and her toddler. Most teen moms do not own a car. If no one takes them to Club, they don’t hear more about Jesus. They don’t experience His love through us and can’t be in community with other teen moms. Teen moms need a break from a home life that is frequently unhealthy. Driving a teen mom to Club can be inconvenient, but it does make a difference.
She attended intermittently during the Fall. During these rides we talked about school, relationships, child-raising, Club, and God. These were great discussions of both listening and sharing. There is something different about conversations in a car. Both people are facing forward, not looking at each other. Conversations are more open and less intimidating, with fewer distractions. Since Daisy lived on the other side of town, it gave us a good amount of time to talk.
After the holidays and January training dates, the next time I saw Daisy was in February. She was pregnant again. My heart was burdened for this single mom, but she wasn’t even phased by it. She was just living her life and handling it the best she could.
I asked God to help our discussion times go deeper and to give me more courage to speak about Jesus and the Bible. On one trip to Club she saw my Bible and expressed a desire to have one. When we arrived, I showed her mine and gave her a very brief overview. When I told her how she could get the Bible on her smart phone, she didn’t want that. When I offered her a New Testament that I had at home, she didn’t want that either. She wanted the whole Bible.
The following week I purchased a Bible for her and texted Daisy to arrange a time to meet. We went to a local park. While our kids played, we talked and I gave her the new Bible with a personal note inscribed inside the cover. I reviewed the contents with her again and read the first verse in Genesis. After that brief discussion, we turned our full attention to our children.
A few weeks later at Club there was an invitation to start a relationship with God. The teen moms were instructed to go to the leader giving the God talk if they were making that decision. Daisy and her friend put their chairs together and asked me to be their small group leader. As I sat down, two more teen moms joined us. Miss Daisy exhibits shyness, so I decided to use our small group time to ask each one, “Have you decided as an adult to live for God, to make Him important in your life, for you and your kids?”
One teen mom answered that she had accepted Jesus and had started going to church when she got pregnant. Another said she decided to give her life to God when her son turned one year old. I know these two moms well and they currently attend church most weeks. Daisy’s friend indicated that she had been going toward God for about eighteen months, the length of time she had attended Club.
When I asked Daisy, she admitted she didn’t know how to live for God and gave a little laugh. I shared with her that a relationship with Jesus begins with a prayer. I asked the girls to pray silently with me as I prayed the sinner’s prayer.
Providing a ride to Club for Daisy had been inconvenient for me at times, but it was life-changing for her. I didn’t just provide a service; I offered her a relationship. During our rides together I was continually assessing where she was at spiritually. For a long time I couldn’t see any visible spiritual growth. Then, in the Spring, I saw a change. She began asking me questions. A few Club meetings later I could see she was ready to begin a relationship with the Lord, the faithful lover of her soul.
Praise God for what He has done! Through the obedience of the leadership team at our local Young Lives, many lives have been changed. Daisy has been changed and that change will forever affect her life and the lives of her son and her unborn baby.
Kim Griffin
September, 2015
I am so glad I saved this story. It reminded me that a small act of kindness can lead to some surprisingly beautiful times.
Have a blessed day.
Kim
Thank you for sharing this story, Kim. Itâs so true that we donât know what one small act of kindness will do for another person.
DEBBIE WALKER
We don’t know so following the Holy Spirit’s leading is important. In this case when no one else was available to give a ride, it was because I was the one that was suppose to do it. Sometimes as a leader we delegate to lighten our load but then God says no, I want you to handle this one. Thx for your comment Debbie.
We need to remember our victories in the Lord to motivate us to continue to move forward in our faith when we would like to just give up. Also sharing your stories, such as this one, encourages others to step out in faith and share the gospel with others.
Reviewing this has made me think of what is next. Whatever ministry God leads me to can’t look like the last ministry. I’m not in my late thirties like when I started the teen mom ministry in my area. But I will look forward in faith to what God has for me next. Thank you for your comment.
Good read. It may be an old cliche’ but still true, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The smallest act of service can open a door. God bless.
Very true. “Earning the right to be heard” I’ve heard said before. Thank you. May God bless you as well.