Lately I have been asked by numerous people, “how do you do it? How do you remain patient? How do you manage to be so strong in such challenging times?”.

The only thing I’m sure of is that any patience or strength I have is not really my own. True too is that I have moments when I look neither. I know that not all of you reading this believe in God. I also know that the vast majority of you know I do. I believe that God is sustaining me in all of the wildness that is PNC right now. Left to my own devices I would be feeling neither patient OR strong. In fact, when I listen to myself say things like “we had to give notice in our building without having a place to go; I’m the only staff person who needs to find funding both for myself and the organization; right now we’re doing everything we normally do with programming; the phone is cut, but you can call my cell-phone…” I think, THIS IS CRAZY.

Then something else happens.

Second Harvest arrives with an amazing donation. All I need to buy at the grocery store for Monday is a few bulbs of garlic, olive oil, cucumbers and some sweet onions. We have a chickpea/eggplant salad, green salad with homemade dressing, potato salad and chicken. Before we eat I get to announce that we will be moving but one block away for our Mondays. We all cheer.

A man who goes by “Grumpy” on the street pulls me aside and suggests that we change our name from PNC to “Hope and Goodness”.

We get to fill our plot at the community garden with herbs for our kitchen.

People who have never been involved before are showing up, helping out and wanting to be a part of this work.

A long-time friend and co-worker in other areas of my life has stepped up and offered her bookkeeping and administrative skills to the mix. What a relief!

On a dark day in terms of finances someone, without hesitation, offers to help. I can’t do anything but cry.

All of these moments, these little happenings, serve as reminders that I am not alone. There is a large group of people gathering around. And at the end of the day, when I am home and trying to imagine how tomorrow is going to be, the still small voice of God reminds me I am actually never alone. And I am urged to be patient and strong because He is those things.

What a ride.