the moving angels

Written by Crystal Rowe

Crystal has a heart for making the church and the Christian faith real and relevant to the world around her and is passionate about serving others in the name of Christ. Crystal is married to her perfect match, D and is Mommie to A and the two sweetest kitties on earth.

August 23, 2012

We just moved. It was the hardest move of my life. And I’ve moved a lot. Nine times since I graduated from college 9 years ago to be exact.

This time we asked for help. And people came out of the woodworks. I called them the moving angels. There were people everywhere. It was such a gift.

I got the idea from an old lady who moved into our old place. “It was my church family,” she said. And as I experienced my own move, I realized … that’s what being a church is all about. Helping others. And each other.

And the help didn’t stop with our one move-in day. People have come to help us paint. To help us decorate. To help us make our new place “home.” And every time someone comes to offer help, I feel a little more grateful for the people God has placed in my life.

We talk a lot about helping the poor and feeding the hungry. It’s so clear that God calls us to do just that. But I often forget the neighbors right next door. The ones that seem to have it all together. The ones who have food on their table, clothes to wear, and shelter to keep them warm. But sometimes, those very people are the ones that find themselves in need with no one to pitch in.

True community is so hard to find. We live in a “hands-off” world. We want problems solved quickly – and quietly. We don’t really want to know what other people are going through. To sit and really listen to them may take up more time than we have free in our busy schedules.

We may be inconvenienced by their stories. Uncomfortable by knowing where they’ve been and what they’ve done. But just as God calls us to care for the poor and feed the hungry, he also calls us to love our neighbors. All of them.

My moving angels … they showed me a new glimpse of God. A God that truly works in all scenarios. A God that helps not only the poor and hungry, but also the overwhelmed and lonely. We have been blessed beyond comprehension. And because of it, we’ve been changed.

How have you seen God lately? Have any angel stories of your own to share?

3 Comments

  1. Sandra Heska King

    Hurting and overwhelmed people who seem to have it all together often don’t tell or ask for help. I know. I’ve been there. I love this, Crystal. They’ll know we’re Christians by our love for each other.

    I told my husband he could bury me under our porch. That I wasn’t moving again. That might happen as I age, because this house and all its stairs just might kill me! 🙂

    Reply
    • Crystal Rowe

      Thanks Sandra … I feel the same way you do … I don’t ever want to move again. I doubt we’ll stay in this apartment for the rest of our lives, but it WILL be longer than two years 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sandra Goodman Sims

    Crystal — We had a similar experience when we moved across the country 5 months ago. From the time I accepted a new job to moving day was about a month, our church helped pack us up during two weeks before. The loading day was amazing, so many people came to help finish packing and load the truck. We could not have done it with out them.

    Reply

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the moving angels

by Crystal Rowe time to read: 2 min
4