<![CDATA[ Head of the Giant Ministry, Inc.

Waiting. Is there anything in this modern life that is harder than waiting? In fact, I’ve been putting off writing this blog for the simple fact that I didn’t want to talk about waiting, I wanted to talk about doing. I am not good at waiting. In our microwave quick society, waiting for more than a few minutes can seem like an eternity. Since March of 2012, Head of the Giant Ministry has been providing shelter for homeless women and children. In November of 2015, we were unable to continue to provide shelter due to issues with the building we were using at the time. (Why HGM moved from the Circular Drive location.) When we learned that we would have to leave that location, a building went up for sale just 2 blocks from our last location. This building is designed in such a way that it would be perfect for us to use as a homeless shelter for women and children. We are praying that God will allow HGM to be given this building, and have sent letters asking the owner to donate this facility to HGM for a tax deduction. As of the writing of this blog, we haven’t heard anything from the owner indicating that they would be willing to donate the building to us. HGM and our partner churches and some realtors in the area are also actively searching for another facility in the meantime. We are also working to raise funds specifically to purchase a location for the women and children’s shelter.

So, this gets me to that dreaded subject of waiting. We have been waiting on God to provide a place for us to continue the work that He has given us to do. While we are waiting, we are working towards the goal of re-opening the shelter and helping as many women as possible. We receive up to seven and eight calls a day from people that are seeking shelter for themselves and others. It is heartbreaking to get these calls and to know that we are unable to help these families with shelter. Currently, in the Augusta area there are only a few shelters open to help homeless women and children. Most of these shelters are only able to assist 3 families at a time. This doesn’t come close to assisting the number of families in need in this area. Truthfully, even when our shelter was open there still wasn’t enough shelter to meet the demand of families in need. We know that it is God’s desire for these families to receive shelter and guidance to become independent again. Many of these women have suffered abuse or neglect and they feel like they are stuck in a situation that they will never be able to get out of. We know that God’s Word teaches us that when we follow Him, He will meet all of our needs in Christ Jesus. We know from experience that the power of God can and will change a person. When God changes a person on the inside that will lead to a change in their personal situation.

What is the purpose of waiting? Is there a purpose for waiting? In God’s Word we can find several instances of waiting and can glean from those that there are several purposes for waiting. In the book of Exodus, we see God preparing Moses as God’s people, the Israelites, wait for deliverance from slavery. God had their leader, but he wasn’t ready to lead them out of Egypt yet. First, Moses had to be saved from the death sentence imposed on all the baby Hebrew boys. Then he was raised and educated in the Pharaoh’s household. Finally, he spent forty years as a shepherd. These years were certainly painful for the Children of Israel, and no doubt they wondered why God delayed in delivering them from their overbearing slave masters. God was preparing Moses and setting the stage for the exodus that was going to take place.
Moses had to be prepared before he could accomplish the work that God had preordained for him to do. God placed His people in a waiting pattern to prepare His servant Moses, but also to prepare the people. Although they were unhappy as slaves some would have remained slaves, because that was easier than trusting God and moving out of a known place of pain to an unknown place. The promise land sounds awesome, but the journey there can be as difficult (maybe even more difficult) than to remain a slave.

Another example from God’s Word of waiting was when Lazarus became sick, and Jesus waited before going to him. It wasn’t God’s plan to save Lazarus from dying, but to resurrect him after four days when all hope for resurrection was gone. In both of these examples God’s people received what they requested of God, and God received all the glory for what He did. There was no doubt that it was God that had delivered the Children of Israel, and resurrected Lazarus from the grave. God received more glory for these works than if He had moved in quickly and there was no waiting required.

So why hasn’t God provided a building yet? There are lots of places in the CSRA that could be used as a homeless shelter for women and children, and we are more than willing to do the work necessary to provide shelter and an effective program for homeless women and children that has proven to lead to stable housing. HGM is using this time of waiting to allow God to prepare us for the work that He has for us to do. God is getting ready to do great and mighty things in our community, and we need to be ready for it. At this time, we are working on administrative processes to make sure we will be able to handle the larger number of families that we believe God will allow us to serve. We are actively recruiting and training new volunteers to be able to meet the needs that larger populations in the shelter will require. God is working all things out so that when the time is right, Head of the Giant Ministry will be able to effectively help several families in our shelters.
I know that God is in control and that He wants His people, the Church, the Bride of Christ, those that have been blood bought, to be the ones that provide for those in need. In Matthew 14:16 we are given a very clear picture that Jesus instructs His disciples to feed the 5000 who were in need of food. “But Jesus said unto them, they need not depart; give ye them to eat.” I believe that God has all the power to provide a building today, but that He is delaying the supply for a specific reason. I believe that God wants us to join together and use the resources He has gifted each of us with to provide for the needy.

I’m tired of waiting for a building, but I’m willing to be patient and let God have His way in all of these things, because His way is perfect, and when He provides in His way, it is amazing! I would like to request for you to pray for this ministry. Pray specifically for God to raise up the people that need to be a part of getting a facility open for Head of the Giant Ministry to provide shelter for homeless women and children in the CSRA. Please also pray about what God would have you to do to assist in this endeavor. God has great things in store for this community. Join with us and be a witness to His great and mighty power in providing for the homeless in the CSRA.