A Miracle

So I cried in the staff meeting.  This was different.  Joy.  The only emotion I could express.
Matt asked if we had anything else to say, and something that had been on my heart was to say thank you to the staff.
Over the last four to six months my little sister has begun to get to know a lot of my friends at the church, staff or otherwise.  She has been calling me almost every day and we talk or hang out as often as we can.  Even if it is only for ten minutes in between work and studying.  I watch my niece 1-3 time a week while she works and I am off.  Through this our relationship has grown.  On days that I have Sophia, I know to reserve when my sister gets off work to spend time with her.  Those are my family days.  And I am more than okay to be with her and sacrifice sleep or some homework time.  Over the last few weeks, my little sister has been bringing my niece to the church so I can have her at church at the eleven.  She knows how important it is to me, and since I have had meetings or teaching classes in between services, she has offered to bring her.  It brings joy to my heart and I melt or cry whenever I think about it.  Two weeks ago I was able to meet her outside.  As I carried Sophia in, my sister followed.  I asked if she was coming in... "why not?" was her nonchalant response.  I wanted to cry.  With fifteen minutes until service started, I didn't hold the expectation that she would stay through service.  As she came in she met new people, some staff, and a few of my friends that she didn't know yet.  She said hi to Rebekah and Bonnie, and got some conversations in with people she knew and liked.  We went into the sanctuary to set my things down so I would have a seat in service.  In the sanctuary she saw Matt and talked with more people.  Worship started and she took that moment to say, "I'll see you later."  And that's okay with me.  Progress.
This last weekend she brought Sophia again, but I was upstairs teaching the baptism class.  So I couldn't come out.  She came in on her own.  She found Rebekah and talked and walked with her.  That's how I found them.... laughing and talking as they walked to the sanctuary.  She did that on her own. But she found comfort in Rebekah, on staff or not, Rebekah had the heart to connect with her.  And had my sister seen other staff members instead, I'm sure I would have found them with her too.  My sister has found a connection in the church besides me.  On top of that, she hung out in the sanctuary for twenty minutes with me.
Over the last 9 months she has been discovering who I am as a believer, and realizing that who she thought I used to be (not good) is not really who I am.... or even people in the church.  I am PRAISING GOD because this is a miracle.  God has reached out and pulled on her heart. 
I thanked the satff, because without their hearts and love, there would be no connection to a different view of a believer than me... and there's bias in that I am her sister.  But that's good too.  I don't know what to think besides "YAY!!" All I know... is that I have hope.