From the Desk of Jill Keenon, Operations Director:
Life is just plugging along. I hate to be boring but what I care about in the next 67 days is getting in shape for Hilly's wedding, staying nice to my family and friends, still taking care of my responsibilities at Open Door and home while I finish school and prepare for Hilly's wedding the day after she and I graduate.
It is interesting to learn how to still live one day at a time while having a very clear goal in mind for the future. Even though we are to run the race as if we will win, the reality is you are only given the day you are in at the moment. The process - and how you trust God during the process -is what matters. He is in charge of whether you make it to your goal. His goal may not be your goal. You could be finished with life tomorrow and still not have wasted time if you are doing what He has asked you to do today.
QUICK BOYS HOME:
Please give concerted prayer for the protection of the baby in the home.
Bob and John and Pat need prayer for growth and the ability to learn in all areas. Allison and Will need prayer for consistency, trust in the Lord, and peace as they wait for answers about all four of the children's future. KEENON HOME:
- Melissa is not getting any better with the medicine for her seizures. She still has at least one a week. We go see the epilepsy specialist on Wednesday at UIC where she had the week long EEG test. Pray for wisdom and some solutions. This is hard on everyone here.
- Matt could use prayer for his interactions with his family and friends.
- Margie still needs a good friend.
- Please pray for Paul and Jill. God knows what we need right now. There is a lot of different feelings and stressors on both of us, and we need God to be our strength not anything else.
We have sold the Coloma Pl. home which is a blessing and a disappointment to me (Paul). I fought long and hard to get that home and to pay down the mortgage. Many dozens of teens and several homeless families were helped there. Your prayers and donations made it possible but times change and so does what the Lord calls each of us to accomplish for Him. The needs changed and foster/house parents became harder to find. Finding them in the past was always something the Lord did for ODFT.
Jill's change and mine started several years ago. We began to specialize in caring for homeless young adults in our area. Many of you have met some of them. The need for teen foster care has been reduced in Illinois by government changes in it's operation even though the need is still there, ODFT cannot fit into the governments plan as we have operated. The need to help families and young adults has not abated in any way. These are still growing needs. We are still in the process of adapting.
The Quicks and Jill and I will be getting new training this year to help us work with different kinds of needy people. We, Jill and I, hope to teach what we have already experienced for the last twenty-five years. We have one opportunity to learn and teach this summer. Will you help us by praying for more opportunities to teach and speak? Jill will finish her nursing degree in May and we would like some local opportunities this summer.
The Bowl-A-Thon is rescheduled for May 24 due to many scheduling conflicts. Please join us in fundraising and bowling.
In Christ's Service for the Community,
Paul & Jill Keenon
Open Door for Teens, Inc.
