The Migration of a Robin to an Unexpected Nest

“Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it.” - every middle school kid in the 90s

Do kids even say this anymore? Surely this saying has stood the test of time, right? It’s a classic. The modern(ish) day spin on “picking yourself up by your bootstraps”. A true testament to the resilience of mankind. Deeper and more profound than the “tiny violin” playing an inaudible song to ease your youthful woes. Com’on millennials, you know what I’m talking about. You were there with me! But I digress…. Memory Lane is not even where we’re going today. 

While I love nostalgia as much as the next person, when this thought came to mind I was like lightbulb! Does that ever happen to you? When you have an idea that pops into your head and it’s like “woah, I’ve never thought about it like that before”. I’m sure you’re already aware, but that’s totally what happened to me today. 

Kenny was telling me about a gal named Robin and that saying hit me and here we are. I promise this will all make more sense once you hear Robin’s story, so here it goes…

About a week ago we received a referral for a young lady named Robin. She moved to DFW from DC with the promise of a job when she arrived. If you have never moved across the country, just know that it is so stressful. There are so many things to do, and it all has to line up just right. We’ve all moved before, so imagine what it was like and multiply the stress and uncertainty by at least 10. And now imagine this - making all the preparations, traveling over 1,000 miles from home, falling ill upon arrival, and losing the job opportunity because you are very sick and unable to work. Talk about worst case scenario!! Every time I think about that my heart sinks. 

So here Robin was in Dallas with no job, nowhere to live, no family or friends to help her, and likely no idea where to start with local resources that offer aid. Suddenly she found herself in an unfamiliar place, living on the street. What started with excitement and  apprehension for a new adventure abruptly changed course and was a nightmare that likely felt hopeless. 

But we serve a mighty God, don’t we? An acquaintance of ours gave our number to a lady that had met Robin. Once we heard her story, we immediately began trying to create a plan to help her get better situated. Sometimes folks just need someone in their corner to help them make sense of an insurmountable obstacle, ya know?

By Friday Robin had been hired, through our referral, at DFW airport. We were also able to help get her housed in the Salvation Army in Fort Worth so that we can continue working with her. This might not have been her original plan, but we believe that God has bigger plans for her.

Ultimately, this world will chew you up and spit you out. The best laid plans can fall apart in an instant. Companies have little in the way of loyalty or regard for your circumstances. “It’s just business” after all. Some people will give you the run around or take advantage. Even simply making a mistake can turn your whole life upside down before you even see it coming. That is what spurred my initial thought of a silly middle school pity party saying. 

(Light Bulb Moment! Be on the look out for what God wants to show you!)

But hearing it now, God showed me something new:

• “Cry me a river” : come to the Lord in supplication, be broken or unable to fix it yourself, cast your worries at His feet.

• “Build me a bridge” : Let the Lord take control, let Him meet you exactly where you are at, give Him access to your heart and be willing to follow His commands. (And as I’m sure you’ve noticed, we are all about Building Bridges around here!)

• “And get over it” : step out in faith, let Him carry you through the valley or over the mountain, or walk boldly in your faith that He will not fail you, you will overcome with the Lord by your side.

Isn’t it just like the Lord to turn it around? Won’t He do it! I’m just in awe of His power, y’all. BBLRC typically focuses on the unsheltered community in Fort Worth, and Robin was in Dallas. She had no connections in this area, but just so happened to come across a person who knew about us. A referral was made, and we had the exact resources needed to make a difference in her situation. Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus! 

In Your mighty name, we will keep “Changing lives one soul at a time”!