It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around God. It seems the more I try to understand His ways and how He works, the more astonished I am. I mean, take a look at the guy! In a vapor He formed intricate galaxies. In one word the powerful mountains surrender and fall before His feet. In Acts, scripture tells us that, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Nothing goes by Him unnoticed, authority belongs to Him, and He is sovereign over all of His creation.
Now get this, that star breathing, mountain shaking, completely sovereign God does the unthinkable. He chooses to use a sinful, weak, and broken people. What? Let me say it again, God, perfect and completely holy, chooses to use a broken people. He draws us to Himself because apart from Jesus, there is nothing about Brittany Lorraine Anthes that would ever desire to live a life to the glory of God. Yet despite my selfish ambition and wondering heart, God Almighty chose me. So, why did He do it?
A current theme I’ve been wrestling with throughout scripture involves God commanding His people to do seemingly unusual things. Does that make sense? For example, look at Noah. The Word tells us that Noah was righteous, however, the rest of the earth was corrupt. God saw this and commands a great flood to wipe out the entire earth. However, before the waters come, the Lord instructs Noah to build an ark, but it’s more than that. God gave Noah specific measurements and orders to ensure that this ark was made to His standards. He then tells him to fill it with animals. Seriously?
What about Joshua? Those were some pretty remarkable commands God gave him to ensure that Jericho would be given into the hands of the Israelites. “You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow trumpets. And when they make a long blast with ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat.” Let’s just say if I were going to conquer a city, that’s the last thing I would do.
Then there is Gideon, who at the start of his first military encounter had 32,000 men. Not too bad. However, before going into battle, God commands Him to reduce the size of his army, twice! When Gideon goes to face the Midianites he has with him 300 men. What sort of Commander tells someone to reduce an army before going into battle?
Now, I’m no Bible character, but I have gone through seasons when God’s commands have left me saying, “What are you thinking? That’s straight up dumb! Do something normal for a change!” For example…
“Brit, I want you to transfer schools your junior year of high school, because you need to take part in a campus ministry that isn’t offered at your Christian school.”“I know you’ve only been in school a few months, but it’s time to withdraw and save your money.”“Brittany, it’s now time for you to move away from your community in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Yes, leave that job that you love. I want you to move to Billings, Montana to live and work in an at risk neighborhood.“You’re going to Bangladesh. No, really!”“Now get this, you’re going to India on an exposure trip, but shortly after that, I’m going to tell you to stay for three months.”“Brit, don’t freak out. I know this will make no sense to you, but I want you to move into a home for women and single moms, I know you’re confused, but Brit, you will do this. Despite the lack of sense it makes…to you.”
In June, myself, along with my sister in Christ, Lynda, began meeting to discuss the great need in our community for affordable housing. More specifically, housing for women coming out of prison, women in recovery, and single mothers. The need for safe and sober housing is great, but we also knew that our primary goal was to see transformation in the lives our neighbors through the person of Jesus. So with that, the Lord began to establish a home.
Koinonia Management Company (a CLDI affordable housing initiative) recently vacated a large, eight bedroom house here in the South Side. God could not have provided a better home. It is located in front of our main office, it’s within walking distance of the downtown district, and there isn’t a better neighborhood than the South Side. Knowing that we would need time to “ready” the house, we decided we would open the doors on November 1st. However, we were certain of one thing. We knew that there needed to be passionate disciples of Jesus already living in the house before anyone were to move in. These women would serve as encouragers, friends, and sisters in Christ to the ladies living in the house. We began to pray that the Lord would provide and establish such women, who would willingly respond in obedience to that call.
So, that’s where I am. Totally confused, but totally at peace with that fact that God has led me to move into this house. On July 28th I moved over to 109 S. 32nd Street and joined another disciple in Christ, Hannah, in this new season in life. I’ll be totally honest, I wake up in the morning at times totally confused as to why God chooses to use me in this neighborhood. More specifically, why He chooses to use me to love on single moms, children, and women recovering from abuse and brokenness. First off, I’m single, as single as they come. I don’t know the first thing about relationships. Second, I’m not a mother and I know nothing about raising children. Third, I’m a pretty messed up individual. If anyone knows that, it’s God. So, why does God choose to use me, us, a broken and messed up people?
Well, I’ll tell you. It’s the same reason God told Noah to build an ark that would withstand the mighty floodwaters. It’s the same reason God gave Joshua such remarkable orders and collapsed the great walls of Jericho. It is the same reason God used Gideon, despite the incredible odds, to defeat the Midianite army. What’s this reason? God does seemingly unusual things because then HE is most glorified! That’s it, His agenda. We see this encouragement all throughout scripture! David defeating Goliath, Daniel escaping from the lion’s den, God using the prostitute, Rahab to fulfill His promise to the Israelites. Only later do we discover that she is found in the lineage of our Messiah. Take one look at the character of Joseph; if that isn’t encouragement, I don’t know what is! And don’t forget our Humble King, Jesus. Who left His perfect throne in heaven, to dwell among a sinful people, proclaiming the gospel in word and deed, and ultimately giving His life a ransom for all the nations of world.
Why does God choose to use us? Well, brothers and sisters, it’s pretty simple. “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Brittany
August 2012
