Just across the cul-de-sac from our home is an Oxford House. Currently, the residents include six men who have recently come through recovery programs for alcohol or drug addiction. In past years, I have had gotten to know most or all of the men and had seen the Lord work in their lives. However, the residents I had known all moved out of the house and on with their lives.
For some time now, I have been praying that the Lord would open an opportunity to get to know the new crop of residents. Just last week, God answered that prayer. In the annual meeting of our homeowners’ association, several began to voice their unhappiness complain about the presence of an Oxford House in our development. Since all the men owned cars, the cul-de-sac was beginning to resemble a used-car lot. And some of the residents were speeding—in spite of the fact that small children often play in the cul-de-sac.
Even as the concerns poured out during that homeowners’ meeting, I knew this was the opportunity I had been praying for. So I offered to meet with the men during their weekly house meeting and present to them the concerns of the homeowners. I asked for and received an invitation to attend their meeting this past Friday evening. The men received me warmly and I explained the concerns. They promised to change the way they park their cars and to slow down.
In the process, I got to know all the names of the men—and to attach the names to faces. The Lord has begun to build a trust relationship between us that I hope will bear fruit for God’s glory. Praise God for answering prayer!
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