Thinking About the Homeless

and a plea for you to do the same

Welcome (or welcome back) to In the Whispers, a collection of anecdotes, essays, and rambles about the little pieces of wisdom I receive from God “in the whispers”: in retrospection, prayer, and messy little moments. I hope this blesses you, and please consider subscribing. <3

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As I travelled home from work early on Friday, eager to get out of the cold rain before it turned into ice, I couldn’t help but to think about the homeless.

While me and my coworkers found ourselves battling for groceries at the store and worrying over potential power outages, I was struck with the reality that there are people–and a lot of people–in my city that likely have nowhere to turn to in extreme weather. They don’t have refrigerators to stock or houses.

Some people have nowhere to go.

Now I’m no politician, but I really do think everyone should be equipped with basic needs: food, water, and shelter (and I’d even go as far as to say access to the internet, which is increasingly important.) Therefore, no matter what may have caused a person to become homeless, I do not believe anyone is deserving of this fate.

The truth is anyone could be in the homeless person’s position—hoping a blanket and a box is enough coverage to survive the unforgiving winter and wondering when they’ll have their next meal.

With this group in mind, I am asking my small corner of Substack to pray for the homeless at this time. I believe God hears His people when they call to Him, especially when we band together. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does have to be honest.

Add the homeless to your prayers at night, talk to God about it while you warm your coffee or heat up your soup, and while you’re at it, thank God for blessing you with these often overlooked privileges, because food, water, shelter, and access to the internet really are blessings.

However, something else I’ve been thinking about, and maybe this is more of a conviction for myself, is taking action. It breaks my heart every time I see a homeless person roaming the streets, yet I don’t personally donate time or money to help this cause.

A friend once said, “Oftentimes, God blesses man through man.” In other words, sometimes the miracle isn’t an extravagant display of power from God, but God placing a person with empathy and love for others into the life of someone in desperate need of kindness.

Everyone’s financial situation is different, but even donating a dollar or two to a foodbank, homeless organization, or any cause that grieves your heart truly makes a difference.

But let’s start with prayer. Prayer changes things. I believe this, and I hope you do too.

Stay warms, friends!

x Anaya