by Jenn Lee, Ministry Leader
Coming to the Freshmen Kickoff was a big deal for Sheila. She was not only new to campus, but she was also not alone; she was pushing a stroller that was carrying her nine-month old daughter. As she made her way to the event, she could not help but be overly anxious about how people might respond to her or if they would even welcome her.
Pushing the stroller across the lawn of Central Campus, she spotted two girls standing under a sign that read “Off-Campus North.” Since she lives in North Ames, she made her way towards them. One of the girls spotted her, and greeted her with excitement.
As the two of them began to talk, it became quite obvious that it was in God’s perfect sovereignty that Sheila’s first encounter with Salt Company was with this specific Salt Company student leader, Elle. Because just like Sheila, Elle also got pregnant when she was in high school.
Among the hundreds of students and the large number of Salt leaders at the kick-off that night, these two young women crossed paths. Their stories are uncannily similar, and in the same way Sheila was unsure if she would be welcomed, Elle was worried if her story would push people away or make it harder to lead. But God is good. So even in the midst of hard situations and all kinds of emotions associated with teen pregnancy, he has provided the opportunity for both Sheila and Elle to feel known and understood by someone else.
We are praying for the relationship between Sheila and Elle to flourish, and that Elle would become a means by which God draws Sheila into a relationship with him.
