Anna bounced Lucas on her knee while studying the menu. “What do you recommend? I’ve never had lunch here.”
Caitlyn set down her menu. “They make a fabulous chicken salad. It has cranberries and pecans and it’s served on a croissant.”
“That sounds perfect.” Anna shifted Lucas to her other knee. “Thanks so much for inviting me out to lunch today. I don’t always realize how much I miss talking to other adults. Sometimes when Ben gets home, I follow him around the house, talking his ear off. He’s pleased we’re getting together today.”
Caitlyn smiled. “I remember those days. Now that Ryan and Jodie are in high school, I get to talk to adults all the time. Especially since I’m back to work full-time. I appreciate you meeting me here. This café is only two miles from my office, so it’s easy for me to grab food here without taking too long of a break.”
“In that case, what did you want to talk to me about?”
Caitlyn laughed. “Wow. Way to get right to the point. I was going to wait until you were halfway through your delicious chicken salad sandwich and butter you up by talking about how cute Lucas is and how great you look after losing all your pregnancy weight.”
Anna narrowed her eyes. “Well, thanks for that, but now you’d better tell me what’s on your mind, since I won’t be able to trust anything you say until you tell me.”
A young woman with a mass of beautiful black curls approached the table. “Are you ladies ready to order?”
Anna picked up Lucas’ rattle and turned to the woman. “We’ll both have the chicken salad special and a glass of lemonade.” She raised her eyebrows at Caitlyn, who nodded in agreement.
“Anything for the little guy?”
Anna patted the enormous diaper bag setting on the booth next to her. “I have plenty of snacks in here for him.”
“OK, I’ll be back shortly with your orders.”
The server left, and Anna pierced Caitlyn with her gaze. “Well?”
“As you know, the Stuart family moved to Seattle.”
“Yes, I know. They did so much for our church. They’ll be missed.”
Caitlyn steepled her fingers in front of her. “That’s kind of the point of this lunch. I was speaking with a few of the ladies from church, and we’d like you to consider running this year’s Vacation Bible School.”
Anna’s eyes rounded. “What? Why me? I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m not remotely qualified. I could never fill Suzanna Stuart’s shoes. All I’ve ever done is help in the nursery and substitute teach a few Sunday School classes. And I haven’t even done either of those things for the last nine months.”
Caitlyn reached out for Lucas. “May I hold him?”
“Of course.” Anna handed Lucas to Caitlyn, and he promptly grabbed a lock of her hair.
Caitlyn dislodged the hair from his grip. “What are some things you’re looking forward to doing with Lucas?”
Anna couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. “I’d love to take him to the beach and build sandcastles. Teach him to read. Introduce him to the joys of making play dough sculptures and building towers with blocks. There are so many fun things we’ll be able to do together.”
“Has Lucas shown any inclination toward any of those things?”
Anna blinked. “Of course not. He’s not even one.”
“But you see these things in his future even though he hasn’t done them yet.”
Anna sat back against the booth as the server set glasses of lemonade in front of them. She smiled at the server. “Thank you.” Turning back to Caitlyn, she shook her head. “I see what you’re trying to do here, but it won’t work. Lucas is just a baby. I’m a full-grown adult. I know by now what I’m capable of.”
Caitlyn took Lucas’ rattle and shook it in front of him. He clapped his hands and reached for it. “OK, I have a different example for you. Gideon.”
“What?”
“Gideon. In the Bible. He was hiding from his enemies when the angel of the Lord approached him. He called him a mighty warrior and said God was with him. He called Gideon a mighty warrior while he was hiding and scared.”
“And…”
“Don’t you see? God doesn’t see us as we see ourselves. God sees us as what we can be. Gideon wasn’t a mighty warrior, but God knew he was capable of being one. You never ran Vacation Bible School before, but with your gifts, you’ll be amazing at it.”
Anna leaned back against the booth. “I never thought about it like that. I figured people who did those kind of things felt more competent than I do.”
Caitlyn grinned. “Even Moses told God he didn’t speak well and tried to convince Him to send someone else. There are lots of examples of people in the Bible that didn’t feel worthy but God used them anyway. I’ve prayed about it, and feel God wants to use you in this way, but you have to pray about it, too.”
Lucas stretched out his arms toward Anna, who took him back onto her lap. “You’ve given me a lot to think and pray about. I love the idea that I can be so much more if I simply let God use me the way He wants to.”
“All I have to say to that is amen.”
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Dear God, thank You so much for not calling the equipped, but equipping the called. We can’t do much of anything on our own, but in Your strength, we can accomplish mighty works. Please help us be open to the possibilities You have for us. Thank You for all the examples of people in the Bible who questioned their worth, who felt unworthy, or were deemed by the world to be unimportant. Thank You for using them, and us, anyway. We don’t need to be super intelligent, rich, powerful, or talented. All we need to be is willing. Help us find what You have for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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