I
love to receive cards in the mail, a ‘happie’ (the word my mom coined while we were growing up)
for no apparent reason, flowers from the yard (aka: weeds from the kids), notes
of encouragement, etc. As a matter of
fact, two of my top love languages are ‘Words of Affirmation’ & ‘Receiving
Gifts’. (Want to know what yours
is? Click here) Anyway,
today I received some encouraging words but they didn’t come in the mail. Let me set this up for you…..Last week, John and
I bought a new book for Caleb. It’s
called, ‘You Were Made to Make a
Difference’ by Max Lucado & Jenna Lucado Bishop. We have not read the book
but when we found it, it looked liked something we’d prayed for. The blurb on the back said this, “Changing lives…
changing your community… changing hearts. The God who made the universe made
YOU to make a difference. How? God and You together! Here’s what happens: when you realize how
much God loves you, you’ll want to do everything possible to share his love
with others. This book can help you see what it takes to be a difference maker
for God. You’ll find stories of real-life teens..and discover that you are
never too young to make a difference in your community..and in the world!” While Caleb is not yet a teen (whew!), we
skimmed the book and agreed it would be good for him. So…… back to the point.. In the midst of my day and a time that could
have been a potential pity party(mine, not his), Caleb called me into his
room. He said, “Mom, read this…” He gave me his book and this is what it said
on page 30,
‘I grew up believing that the world
could be changed. I was a missionary kid, a pastor’s kid. But I didn’t believe I could change the world
until I was seventeen. That’s when I went
on my first-ever mission trip to Haiti.
We slept on mosquito-netted cots, lived with orphans, touched the outcasts, painted a new school…but there was a specific moment when God nudged my heart. We were in a remote village in the rain forest, staying at an orphanage. That evening, after a day of playing with the kids, we clustered in the schoolhouse to sing songs to Jesus. A nine-year-old deaf orphan girl sat in my lap. She had wild hair, knobby knees, and a tattered dress. She rarely sat still. But as we were singing, she fell asleep with her head in my lap. With no electricity, we sang by candlelight. I stared into the glowing face of this peaceful orphan girl and began to cry.
My selfishness stared me in the face. The things I was living for – all seemed meaningless.
It was God, a little girl, and me. Yet I was more content, more joyful, more peaceful than I had ever felt before. Why? Because I finally understood what God designed me to do----love the unloved. …I felt the satisfaction of God. It was as if God said, “I brought you here to show this little girl that I love her, that she matters to me. And there’s more! I have more of my children for you to love! Will you?”
We slept on mosquito-netted cots, lived with orphans, touched the outcasts, painted a new school…but there was a specific moment when God nudged my heart. We were in a remote village in the rain forest, staying at an orphanage. That evening, after a day of playing with the kids, we clustered in the schoolhouse to sing songs to Jesus. A nine-year-old deaf orphan girl sat in my lap. She had wild hair, knobby knees, and a tattered dress. She rarely sat still. But as we were singing, she fell asleep with her head in my lap. With no electricity, we sang by candlelight. I stared into the glowing face of this peaceful orphan girl and began to cry.
My selfishness stared me in the face. The things I was living for – all seemed meaningless.
It was God, a little girl, and me. Yet I was more content, more joyful, more peaceful than I had ever felt before. Why? Because I finally understood what God designed me to do----love the unloved. …I felt the satisfaction of God. It was as if God said, “I brought you here to show this little girl that I love her, that she matters to me. And there’s more! I have more of my children for you to love! Will you?”
Y’all…… I kid you not…… I looked up in disbelief at
what I had just read & smiling back at me was my own son, my 9 year old love, in amazement at what God had just shared with him - that which he was now
sharing with me! Be still my heart…… My
God, the ONE I fervently believe has called our family to love the unloved has
written a message directly to my child!
AND it was based on a testimony from HAITI!!!!!!!!!!!
God,
you are so stinking amazing! Thanks for
the sweet encouragement! Keep it coming....PLEASE!!!
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