"What I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." Deuteronomy 31:11
I have found myself too often in my life thinking, "That is too hard! I can't do that!" I tend to look at what is before me and not look at the big picture. I tend to believe that I can do things on my own. I tend to feel overwhelmed. I tend to lose sight of my calling as a believer in Christ. I tend to react with emotions. I tend to speak without thinking. I tend to act without praying. I tend to forget that God is in control and that He does see the big picture.
I have been learning that the things I have "tended" to do in the past...need to stay in my past. God is commanding me to change the way I think.
My heart's desire it to see what is before me and respond. My heart's desire is to believe that I can do all things through Christ. My heart's desire is to keep things in perspective and to be a wise woman. My heart's desire is to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and His calling for my life. My heart's desire is to guard my tongue. My heart's desire is to pray without ceasing. My heart's desire is to remember to give God the credit He deserves for the plans he has made.
What God lays before you is NOT too difficult. He is faithful to make a way. Let's believe that we can be world changers. Let's follow the desires of our hearts. Let's press on to be faithful in all that He calls us to do. Let's walk in obedience.
What is God commanding you to do today? It is NOT too hard...you can do ANYTHING with Christ! Go for it!!!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Re-entry
Re-entry into America has been difficult for me. I have been emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausted. I have found myself walking around feeling and I am sure looking like a zombie at times.
I haven't come home and felt the need to get rid of everything, or to have my children lick their plates clean because there are starving children in the world. I don't need to move out of my house and sell my car.
There are things though, that I do need to do-things we can all do.
We can do a better job of giving God credit and glory for the blessings that we have. It seems that we live with an idea that we deserve a certain lifestyle-when in fact it is frightening to admit what we really deserve.
We can do a better job of caring for widows, orphans and needy in our world. Giving up Starbucks coffee 4 times in a month gives a mother and her baby a chance at life. www.compassion/joyfulmom.com.
We can do a better job of teaching our children to be "givers" instead of "receivers". I am going to let you use your own judgement as to how that looks for your family.
We can do a better of job of looking for Jesus and looking to be like Him. I am praying that God would open my eyes to see opportunities for ministry like I never have before. I am looking to turn conversations that He gives me into sacred moments instead of wasting them on secular nonsense.
I knew when I went to Ecuador that I would leave part of my heart there. It seems that I didn't do that. I left my life in Ecuador. The old life. The one that I was living before I entered that country. It wasn't bad, but it was different.
I want this entry to lead to more. Not more stuff, but more ministry. More Jesus. More love. More compassion. More grace.
I wonder if Jesus had a difficult time when he re-entered the world after his resurrection? I wonder if He was worried about being accepted or welcomed. I wonder if he was afraid no one would listen to His story or be as passionate about it as he was. He came confident in who he was, and fulfilled promises.
I think that is my goal for this re-entry. I will do my best to live with God confidence and to fulfill the promises he has for my life...and I will pray and look forward to my next opportunity to leave this country again so that He can mess me up!
It is the difficult things in life that refine us and make us more like Christ.
I haven't come home and felt the need to get rid of everything, or to have my children lick their plates clean because there are starving children in the world. I don't need to move out of my house and sell my car.
There are things though, that I do need to do-things we can all do.
We can do a better job of giving God credit and glory for the blessings that we have. It seems that we live with an idea that we deserve a certain lifestyle-when in fact it is frightening to admit what we really deserve.
We can do a better job of caring for widows, orphans and needy in our world. Giving up Starbucks coffee 4 times in a month gives a mother and her baby a chance at life. www.compassion/joyfulmom.com.
We can do a better job of teaching our children to be "givers" instead of "receivers". I am going to let you use your own judgement as to how that looks for your family.
We can do a better of job of looking for Jesus and looking to be like Him. I am praying that God would open my eyes to see opportunities for ministry like I never have before. I am looking to turn conversations that He gives me into sacred moments instead of wasting them on secular nonsense.
I knew when I went to Ecuador that I would leave part of my heart there. It seems that I didn't do that. I left my life in Ecuador. The old life. The one that I was living before I entered that country. It wasn't bad, but it was different.
I want this entry to lead to more. Not more stuff, but more ministry. More Jesus. More love. More compassion. More grace.
I wonder if Jesus had a difficult time when he re-entered the world after his resurrection? I wonder if He was worried about being accepted or welcomed. I wonder if he was afraid no one would listen to His story or be as passionate about it as he was. He came confident in who he was, and fulfilled promises.
I think that is my goal for this re-entry. I will do my best to live with God confidence and to fulfill the promises he has for my life...and I will pray and look forward to my next opportunity to leave this country again so that He can mess me up!
It is the difficult things in life that refine us and make us more like Christ.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Is It Possible?
Allow me to introduce you to my new friend, Fanny, and her son, Jordi.
As you can see, Fanny has only one leg. She began living on her own when she was 12 years old when her mother sent her to Quito to live on a piece of land that was owned by her uncle. At the age of 16, she got an infection in her leg and because she had no money to treat it, the doctor just cut it off.
Fanny was raped and became pregant with her 3 year old son, Jordi. When he was 8 months old, Fanny was riding a city bus holding her baby in her arms and crying. She was crying because her son was dying. Another woman on the bus noticed her crying and asked why. When Fanny told her that her baby was dying, the woman told her about the Child Survivor Program (compassion.com/joyfulmom) that she was a member of. She told Fanny that they would help her baby.
Fanny was sad because the church where the CSP was located was too far from her home and she could not afford the fare for the two bus rides it would take to get there. The next day, the mother Fanny had met on the bus came to her house. She took a picture of Fanny and gave it to her Promoter. The Promoter is the volunteer that visits mothers each week to teach them how to care for their children and to encourage them spiritually.
The Promoter took that picture and travelled to Fanny's neighborhood. This is what she found.
She went from door to door looking to match a face to a picture until she found Fanny. She took baby Jordi to the hospital where he was treated and then she began to minister to Fanny. Jordi is now a healthy 3 year old. The CSP has changed Fanny's life. The CSP, GIVES Fanny life.
When I first heard about the Child Survivor Program, I wondered, "Is it possible that $20 a month really makes a difference in the lives of mothers and babies?"
I worshipped last Sunday at the church Fanny attends. Her CSP gives her $1 each week so that she and Jordi can ride the bus to church to learn about God. When the invitation time came, Fanny was one of the first to walk the aisle. She had prayed a prayer privately, but on that day, she was ready to make her commitment to Christ public.
The day before, Fanny had been loved on and touched by my friends and I. Is it possible that because of our obedience to be the hands and feet of Jesus, Fanny for the first time understood what it meant to follow Him?
On Monday of this week, I was given the honor of getting to visit Fanny's home. We shared a meal together and she shared her story with me. This is what I saw as I walked to Fanny's house.
She walks with one leg up a steep muddy hill, crosses a little broken bridge and enters her three room home. There is no running water. There is no toilet. There is no door. There are pieces of wood with blankets for a bed. There are two chairs. There are a few shelves that hold her belongings. One of her prized possessions is her CSP notebook. It is full of scripture, notes and activites that she has gotten do with Jordi. Has has colored, glued and painted.
It has been possible because of $20 a month.
Fanny works hard to make little balls out of shredded material. They are very absorbant and she sells them to auto mechanics and maids for cleaning cars and dusting. She makes at the most, 10 cents for each ball. That is just enough each month to pay for her electric bill that was $5.29 this month. There is no other money. There is no food.
She gets food. She gets love. She gets counseling. She gets encouragement. She gets health care. She gets to go to church. She gets Jesus.
She gets, because my family gives.
I wonder if your family would be willing to give? Twenty dollars a month gives Fanny life. What does $20 do for you?
I will never forget the smell of Fanny's neighborhood. I will never forget the tears we shared as our hearts connected in her home. I will never forget the smile on her face after being loved on and touched by Jesus.
Did the last $20 you spent save a life? It could have. Please don't hesitate to ask me how. It could be the most important thing you do today.
Is it possible to change a life with hardly doing anything?
"With God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26
Fanny was raped and became pregant with her 3 year old son, Jordi. When he was 8 months old, Fanny was riding a city bus holding her baby in her arms and crying. She was crying because her son was dying. Another woman on the bus noticed her crying and asked why. When Fanny told her that her baby was dying, the woman told her about the Child Survivor Program (compassion.com/joyfulmom) that she was a member of. She told Fanny that they would help her baby.
Fanny was sad because the church where the CSP was located was too far from her home and she could not afford the fare for the two bus rides it would take to get there. The next day, the mother Fanny had met on the bus came to her house. She took a picture of Fanny and gave it to her Promoter. The Promoter is the volunteer that visits mothers each week to teach them how to care for their children and to encourage them spiritually.
The Promoter took that picture and travelled to Fanny's neighborhood. This is what she found.
When I first heard about the Child Survivor Program, I wondered, "Is it possible that $20 a month really makes a difference in the lives of mothers and babies?"
I worshipped last Sunday at the church Fanny attends. Her CSP gives her $1 each week so that she and Jordi can ride the bus to church to learn about God. When the invitation time came, Fanny was one of the first to walk the aisle. She had prayed a prayer privately, but on that day, she was ready to make her commitment to Christ public.
The day before, Fanny had been loved on and touched by my friends and I. Is it possible that because of our obedience to be the hands and feet of Jesus, Fanny for the first time understood what it meant to follow Him?
On Monday of this week, I was given the honor of getting to visit Fanny's home. We shared a meal together and she shared her story with me. This is what I saw as I walked to Fanny's house.
She walks with one leg up a steep muddy hill, crosses a little broken bridge and enters her three room home. There is no running water. There is no toilet. There is no door. There are pieces of wood with blankets for a bed. There are two chairs. There are a few shelves that hold her belongings. One of her prized possessions is her CSP notebook. It is full of scripture, notes and activites that she has gotten do with Jordi. Has has colored, glued and painted.
It has been possible because of $20 a month.
Fanny works hard to make little balls out of shredded material. They are very absorbant and she sells them to auto mechanics and maids for cleaning cars and dusting. She makes at the most, 10 cents for each ball. That is just enough each month to pay for her electric bill that was $5.29 this month. There is no other money. There is no food.
She gets food. She gets love. She gets counseling. She gets encouragement. She gets health care. She gets to go to church. She gets Jesus.
She gets, because my family gives.
I wonder if your family would be willing to give? Twenty dollars a month gives Fanny life. What does $20 do for you?
I will never forget the smell of Fanny's neighborhood. I will never forget the tears we shared as our hearts connected in her home. I will never forget the smile on her face after being loved on and touched by Jesus.
Did the last $20 you spent save a life? It could have. Please don't hesitate to ask me how. It could be the most important thing you do today.
Is it possible to change a life with hardly doing anything?
"With God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26
Monday, April 16, 2012
There are so many words to blog today that I am not sure how to make them come out. Today there are tears. Lots and lots of tears. Just when I think another tear cannot flow from eyes, they easily flow again.
We have seen more today than most people see in a lifetime.
Today, we saw salvation! Many ladies gave their life to Christ. Roxanna, a preicous friend on our trip who speaks Spanish told the story of Daniel in the Lions Den today and the Holy Spirit fell down on the sanctuary. I am telling you, I did not know a single word she said and yet I agreed and believed every single word! We were crying and yelling "Amen!" and clapping and celebrating and in the end several of our new friends gave their lives to Christ. Others asked for special prayer for needs in their lives.
Today, I wept with women who do not undertand a word that I speak. We held each other and hugged and prayed and we did not want to let each other go.
Today, I saw smiles on the faces of women who have never had a picture of themselves or their babies. They very carefully made frames and placed their trueasure inside.
Today, I held babies that were dirty and smelled bad. I was compelled to hug them and love them and kiss them, because they were beautiful.
Today, I was asked to be in pictures and share smiles with sisters in Christ that I will probably not see again in this lifetime but will worship beside them in heaven.
Today, I visited the absolute worst living conditions possible. I sat with my friend Fanny and shared a meal in her home that had dirt floors, no running water and the closest bathroom was 2 blocks away. It hurts my heart too badly to to try and explain to you what it was like. I cannot post pictures for lack of time.
Today, I cried as I said to goodbye to my sponsor child and her mother and to the women who say "You made me feel like a doll because you painted my fingernails and brushed my hair." It was a very difficult goodbye.
We have a meeting and I have to run, but you needed to hear at this moment what my day was like....how was your day?
We have seen more today than most people see in a lifetime.
Today, we saw salvation! Many ladies gave their life to Christ. Roxanna, a preicous friend on our trip who speaks Spanish told the story of Daniel in the Lions Den today and the Holy Spirit fell down on the sanctuary. I am telling you, I did not know a single word she said and yet I agreed and believed every single word! We were crying and yelling "Amen!" and clapping and celebrating and in the end several of our new friends gave their lives to Christ. Others asked for special prayer for needs in their lives.
Today, I wept with women who do not undertand a word that I speak. We held each other and hugged and prayed and we did not want to let each other go.
Today, I saw smiles on the faces of women who have never had a picture of themselves or their babies. They very carefully made frames and placed their trueasure inside.
Today, I held babies that were dirty and smelled bad. I was compelled to hug them and love them and kiss them, because they were beautiful.
Today, I was asked to be in pictures and share smiles with sisters in Christ that I will probably not see again in this lifetime but will worship beside them in heaven.
Today, I visited the absolute worst living conditions possible. I sat with my friend Fanny and shared a meal in her home that had dirt floors, no running water and the closest bathroom was 2 blocks away. It hurts my heart too badly to to try and explain to you what it was like. I cannot post pictures for lack of time.
Today, I cried as I said to goodbye to my sponsor child and her mother and to the women who say "You made me feel like a doll because you painted my fingernails and brushed my hair." It was a very difficult goodbye.
We have a meeting and I have to run, but you needed to hear at this moment what my day was like....how was your day?
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Today was the day of.....
Buenos dias! I have to say that for the first time in my life I am thankful for the 7 years of Spanish that I took! The flash cards have paid off and I have used more of the language than I can believe I remember!
We have had a VERY full day and are anxious to get to bed! This morning we went to worship at the church where we have worked with the Child Development Center and the Child Survivor Program. There are over 200 members in the church and barely enough room for them, so as the honored guests today, we sat down front and many of the members stood for the 2 hour service. I sat on the front row with Natalie, (my sponsor child) MaryBell, (her mother) and Omar (my incredible translator). We worshipped in spanish with a praise band. They sing and play loud! It was wonderful!
Some of the ladies prepared dances to praise songs and performed for us. When they finished we listened to a powerful message from Pastor Fernando about the church being one body and each person using their gifts to make the body work effectively. He had a translator the entire time so we were very engaged in the message. He shared the gospel and the Holy Spirit fell. Today was the day of salvation for 8 people in that service. They boldly walked to the front of the church and prayed to receive Christ. As I stood and prayed for them, I was asked by a Compassion worker to come and share with church.
It was so difficult to stand in front of them and not just bawl my eyes out! I quickly asked the Lord to give me words and He is so very faithful. This morning for the first time in my life, I got to experience something that I have believed in faith. Just as each of you worhsipped in America and the Holy Spirit moved in your churches and lives, He did the same thing at the same time here in Ecuador. It really is hard to comprehend just how BIG our God is! I can say as an absolute fact that we will never clearly understand on this side of Heaven.
I shared quickly from my heart and prayed over the church. It truly was one of the greatest honors of my life! When I finished the praise band came up for a special song. They began to sing "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" in spanish and we all sang and worshipped as loud as we could in english! I am telling you, tears flowed freely down my face as we each worhsipped as we will in heaven. It was a sight to behold and sound I will never forget. Below is our praise band!
We have had a VERY full day and are anxious to get to bed! This morning we went to worship at the church where we have worked with the Child Development Center and the Child Survivor Program. There are over 200 members in the church and barely enough room for them, so as the honored guests today, we sat down front and many of the members stood for the 2 hour service. I sat on the front row with Natalie, (my sponsor child) MaryBell, (her mother) and Omar (my incredible translator). We worshipped in spanish with a praise band. They sing and play loud! It was wonderful!
It was so difficult to stand in front of them and not just bawl my eyes out! I quickly asked the Lord to give me words and He is so very faithful. This morning for the first time in my life, I got to experience something that I have believed in faith. Just as each of you worhsipped in America and the Holy Spirit moved in your churches and lives, He did the same thing at the same time here in Ecuador. It really is hard to comprehend just how BIG our God is! I can say as an absolute fact that we will never clearly understand on this side of Heaven.
I shared quickly from my heart and prayed over the church. It truly was one of the greatest honors of my life! When I finished the praise band came up for a special song. They began to sing "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" in spanish and we all sang and worshipped as loud as we could in english! I am telling you, tears flowed freely down my face as we each worhsipped as we will in heaven. It was a sight to behold and sound I will never forget. Below is our praise band!
After church many of us had the joy of spending the afternoon with our sponsor child. It was precious! Many of the children had never been in a resturant or to the equator so they were very excited! The bus trip was 2 hours long and we each had our own translator so the time was very good. I learned during this time that Natalie's mother makes $90 a month and that is what they live on. Her sponsorship through Compassion gives her family hope.
We shared gifts, pictures and stories and the time flew by quickly. As Natalie carefully looked at each gift that I gave her, her mother sat across the row and cried as she watched her daughter. The things that my precious boys took time to pick out and pack for Natalie were the greatest gifts she has ever recieved. She told me that this day was the very best day of her life!
We ate and played at the equator before saying goodbye. We prayed together and hugged long and hard. Tomorrow we will say goodbye for a long time-I am not sure that I am ready for that. I do know that I will be back and that brings us all comfort.
We all had special days and feel so incredibly blessed to have lived it here in this country. When God planned our days before we were born, this day was on His calendar. This day was the day of salvation for the lost in La Victoria Iglesia (the church we worshipped). It was the day of dreams come true for children. It was the day of hope for many parents. It was a day realization for me-My God is present everywhere, all the time. Today He spoke to me in La Victoria Iglesia and changed me forever. What was this day for you? May I challenge you to make much of everyday? God has a plan for each one that we live-you do not want to miss what He has in store for you!
I am going to post another blog quickly with pictures so that you can see beautiful faces and pray for each one of them!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
A Mother's Heart
We have had another incredible day in Ecuador! I want to do a little better job detailing what we have done over the past two days because my precious husband has informed me that I am not writing enough! I will do my best tonight-I am feeling much better than I was last night!
Yesterday morning we spent several hours at the Compassion International Office. We learned all the details of how Compassion works, met employees and were greatly encouraged in the Lord. It was fascinating to learn of the needs and culture of this country and it was encouraging to see that we as sponsors are making a difference in the lives of so many!
We then ate a box lunch on the bus and travelled to our church. It is a little over an hour away from the hotel and in a very, very poor community. That is where we were greeted by the children and workers of the Child Development Center. It is at the church, but it is a program funded by Compassion for children to attend three days a week. Here they get a very good meal, Bible teaching, help with homework and a lot of love. For most of the children, it is the only good food they get every week.
While we were there, we shared Bible stories, made salvation bracelets and necklaces, played games, painted A LOT of finger nails and gave hundreds of hugs!
We ended yesterday with dinner in the hotel and had a very precious share and prayer time. Our hearts had literally been ripped out of our chests and many of us have been fighting pretty severe altitude sickness. The day was terrific but difficult.
Today was full and totally different. Today was about mothers connecting with mothers. Today was answered prayers that I have prayed since I became a Child Survivor Program sponsor. It was not enough for me to just give $20 a month-although that is incredibly important. I had to see the faces of these mothers. I had to hug them and tell them that I loved them. I had to hold their babies. I needed with all that is in me to be where they were.
We travelled back to the same church we were at yesterday. It is 12 years old in this community. It started with 8 members and now has over 200 members! God is doing a great work there! When we arrived, the Child Survivor Program volunteers and mothers had hung balloons and decorated just for us! They had made purses and jewelry and some even dressed up to dance for us!
The CSP is doing amazing things in the lives of these mothers! It is saving the lives of their babies! It gives them training in spiritual maturity, cognitive and physical development and they learn skills to support their family.
We wanted to give them a day af pampering! At that my friends, is what we did! The smiles on their faces are worth a million dollars, and I can promise you that my trip companions and I will NEVER forget them. Here are a few!
The ladies made hair accessories, received hand treaments and manicures, sat for their hair to be straightened, curled, braided...you name it and we tried! The also each received a new Mary Kay lip gloss! We took their pictures and will print them for the mothers. On Monday we get to give them the pictures and they will make a frame to put them in their homes. For most of them, it was their first time to get their pictures taken!
As you can see they all had their beautiful children! I have to share a face with you! I have a ton of smiles, but this connection is super slow and I think I am over loading it! You get the idea...precious!
They loved getting hair bows and seeing mommy be beautiful as well!
We all made friends and shared cherished moments. We all were blessed because a mother's heart is the same all over the world. We all want our children to be safe and happy and blessed. We all have days when we want to pull our hair out! We all have cried because we love our babies. We all consider it the most important job in the world. Being a mother is a gift from God and today, we shared that gift with mothers in Ecuador. They are our sisters in Christ. They are our friends. We did not have to speak the same language in order to share tears and hugs and laughter because our hearts are the same.
We ended our day visiting the homes of some of the mothers. The conditions are more than I can describe tonight. Our time was blessed by the Lord and once again as we prepare for bed our hearts are full. This day will be marked as one of the best of my life...I am sure my friends (Ecuadorian and American) would say the same. More tomorrow.....
Yesterday morning we spent several hours at the Compassion International Office. We learned all the details of how Compassion works, met employees and were greatly encouraged in the Lord. It was fascinating to learn of the needs and culture of this country and it was encouraging to see that we as sponsors are making a difference in the lives of so many!
We then ate a box lunch on the bus and travelled to our church. It is a little over an hour away from the hotel and in a very, very poor community. That is where we were greeted by the children and workers of the Child Development Center. It is at the church, but it is a program funded by Compassion for children to attend three days a week. Here they get a very good meal, Bible teaching, help with homework and a lot of love. For most of the children, it is the only good food they get every week.
While we were there, we shared Bible stories, made salvation bracelets and necklaces, played games, painted A LOT of finger nails and gave hundreds of hugs!
We ended yesterday with dinner in the hotel and had a very precious share and prayer time. Our hearts had literally been ripped out of our chests and many of us have been fighting pretty severe altitude sickness. The day was terrific but difficult.
Today was full and totally different. Today was about mothers connecting with mothers. Today was answered prayers that I have prayed since I became a Child Survivor Program sponsor. It was not enough for me to just give $20 a month-although that is incredibly important. I had to see the faces of these mothers. I had to hug them and tell them that I loved them. I had to hold their babies. I needed with all that is in me to be where they were.
The CSP is doing amazing things in the lives of these mothers! It is saving the lives of their babies! It gives them training in spiritual maturity, cognitive and physical development and they learn skills to support their family.
We wanted to give them a day af pampering! At that my friends, is what we did! The smiles on their faces are worth a million dollars, and I can promise you that my trip companions and I will NEVER forget them. Here are a few!
The ladies made hair accessories, received hand treaments and manicures, sat for their hair to be straightened, curled, braided...you name it and we tried! The also each received a new Mary Kay lip gloss! We took their pictures and will print them for the mothers. On Monday we get to give them the pictures and they will make a frame to put them in their homes. For most of them, it was their first time to get their pictures taken!
As you can see they all had their beautiful children! I have to share a face with you! I have a ton of smiles, but this connection is super slow and I think I am over loading it! You get the idea...precious!
They loved getting hair bows and seeing mommy be beautiful as well!
We all made friends and shared cherished moments. We all were blessed because a mother's heart is the same all over the world. We all want our children to be safe and happy and blessed. We all have days when we want to pull our hair out! We all have cried because we love our babies. We all consider it the most important job in the world. Being a mother is a gift from God and today, we shared that gift with mothers in Ecuador. They are our sisters in Christ. They are our friends. We did not have to speak the same language in order to share tears and hugs and laughter because our hearts are the same.
We ended our day visiting the homes of some of the mothers. The conditions are more than I can describe tonight. Our time was blessed by the Lord and once again as we prepare for bed our hearts are full. This day will be marked as one of the best of my life...I am sure my friends (Ecuadorian and American) would say the same. More tomorrow.....
Friday, April 13, 2012
Messed up by a moment
What a day it has been! I will tell you now that this won't be long...my words are few for my heart has been messed with in a HUGE way today! God has been all over us. He has shown up in ways that we have asked and in ways that we have never imagined. We have been humbled, hugged, honored, bent and broken. It has been done in the sweet name of Jesus.
We drove up the street and could see balloons and flags waving! What you cannot see is that there were 200 of them! We walked through the lines hugging, greeting, kissing and smiling at each little face. They celebrated us coming to visit them and it was more than I thought I could take!
We prayed and as lunch was served, we began to play. I took out purple nail polish and became a Rock Star! It was with children climbing all over me wanting nails painted that my moment happened. The moment that I have prayed to have for a very long time.
I heard someone yelling my name and jumping up and down. I looked up to see a smiling woman that I had never seen before. Her words made my heart stop. "Brandi, my Natalie es su Natalie! You sponsor my daughter! Here she is!" Suddenly a beautiful little girl lunged into my arms and I will never be the same. She hugged me like I have never been hugged. She looked in my eyes like she was soaking them in to remember them her entire life and I did the same with her.
Her sweet mother thanked me for choosing her child. She told me that even though she had never seen the faces of my family, she prayed everyday for us. That my family was her family. At that moment, I felt the same way.
Natalie never left my side today. I cannot tell you how many times we hugged. She sat on my lap. She sang me a song. We took a lot of pictures...I will see her again in the morning and it will be another glorious day. For now, I am going to bed with a full heart that has been wrecked by a moment. I pray I have another one tomorrow. Have you had a moment that wrecked you? Pray for one, Jesus uses those to change us.
We prayed and as lunch was served, we began to play. I took out purple nail polish and became a Rock Star! It was with children climbing all over me wanting nails painted that my moment happened. The moment that I have prayed to have for a very long time.
I heard someone yelling my name and jumping up and down. I looked up to see a smiling woman that I had never seen before. Her words made my heart stop. "Brandi, my Natalie es su Natalie! You sponsor my daughter! Here she is!" Suddenly a beautiful little girl lunged into my arms and I will never be the same. She hugged me like I have never been hugged. She looked in my eyes like she was soaking them in to remember them her entire life and I did the same with her.
Her sweet mother thanked me for choosing her child. She told me that even though she had never seen the faces of my family, she prayed everyday for us. That my family was her family. At that moment, I felt the same way.
Let the Children Come
I woke this morning with the same words going over and over in my mind..."Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14.
Today we will go to the children and they will come to see what we have brought. I am imagining their little faces. Their sweet smiles. Their laughter. Their uncertainty. Will they be happy that we came? Will they really receive what we came here to give?
When Jesus calls his children to Him we find forgiveness, peace, unconditional love, security, acceptance, confidence, redemption, grace and mercy (Ephesians 1). It is an inheritance that is offered to all when we maintian relationship with God.
As the children come to us today, may they find Jesus. May our eyes, smiles, hugs, hands, and feet point them to the One that brought us here. I pray that today we give to the children what God has given us.
At the end of the day, I am sure that I will have been given far more than I ever imagined. Lord, please let this day be far more than any of the children we encounter ever imagined. As the children come today, let them come to You through us and may You be glorified!
Today we will go to the children and they will come to see what we have brought. I am imagining their little faces. Their sweet smiles. Their laughter. Their uncertainty. Will they be happy that we came? Will they really receive what we came here to give?
When Jesus calls his children to Him we find forgiveness, peace, unconditional love, security, acceptance, confidence, redemption, grace and mercy (Ephesians 1). It is an inheritance that is offered to all when we maintian relationship with God.
As the children come to us today, may they find Jesus. May our eyes, smiles, hugs, hands, and feet point them to the One that brought us here. I pray that today we give to the children what God has given us.
At the end of the day, I am sure that I will have been given far more than I ever imagined. Lord, please let this day be far more than any of the children we encounter ever imagined. As the children come today, let them come to You through us and may You be glorified!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I had to go....
It was one year ago that I first heard about Compassion International's Child Survivor Program. I received a card in the mail from one of my oldest, dearest friends. She had just returned from Ecuador where she had gone to learn about this program. Her heart was broken and she wanted others to see what she had seen. Her card and the picture on the back captivated me.
We both served at Passion 2011 in Fort Worth the week after I got the card. I looked her in the eyes and said, "I have to go! We cannot just talk about it and send our money, it is not enough. We have to go." I began to research and make Stephanie crazy with my questions about the ladies in Ecuador. The more I knew, the more I loved them! I shared my passion at a Beth Moore Simulcast in September and God brought a multitude of ladies who felt the same way! They not only agreed to sponsor the CSP, which is a $20 per month donation from 105 people, many wanted to go with us.
I am so blessed to say that we leave on Thursday for this trip that we many of us only dreamed. God has ordained a precious group of ladies. Some have travelled the world, some have waited their entire lives for this opportunity, I doubt that any of us can fathom what God has in store.
We will love on mothers in another country, because we understand what it is like to be a mother.
We will hold babies and smile and giggle at their sweet faces, because all babies are beautiful and God made us to go nuts over them.
We will play with children and blow bubbles, and paint finger nails, and pass out candy and laugh and cry when we have to say goodbye, because a smile speaks a thousand words and we don't have to speak their language to laugh with them.
Some of us will get to spend a day with the child that we sponsor through Compassion. At the end of it, we will better understand that what we give each month is not enough.
We will all leave a piece of our hearts in Ecuador, but we will come back full of Jesus. It is because of Him we are going.
Follow along, I will do my best to show you what we see. It is my prayer that your heart would be touched and that you would consider becoming a sponsor yourself. You can check out personally for yourself at www.Compassion.com/Joyfulmom.
We both served at Passion 2011 in Fort Worth the week after I got the card. I looked her in the eyes and said, "I have to go! We cannot just talk about it and send our money, it is not enough. We have to go." I began to research and make Stephanie crazy with my questions about the ladies in Ecuador. The more I knew, the more I loved them! I shared my passion at a Beth Moore Simulcast in September and God brought a multitude of ladies who felt the same way! They not only agreed to sponsor the CSP, which is a $20 per month donation from 105 people, many wanted to go with us.
I am so blessed to say that we leave on Thursday for this trip that we many of us only dreamed. God has ordained a precious group of ladies. Some have travelled the world, some have waited their entire lives for this opportunity, I doubt that any of us can fathom what God has in store.
We will love on mothers in another country, because we understand what it is like to be a mother.
We will hold babies and smile and giggle at their sweet faces, because all babies are beautiful and God made us to go nuts over them.
We will play with children and blow bubbles, and paint finger nails, and pass out candy and laugh and cry when we have to say goodbye, because a smile speaks a thousand words and we don't have to speak their language to laugh with them.
Some of us will get to spend a day with the child that we sponsor through Compassion. At the end of it, we will better understand that what we give each month is not enough.
We will all leave a piece of our hearts in Ecuador, but we will come back full of Jesus. It is because of Him we are going.
Follow along, I will do my best to show you what we see. It is my prayer that your heart would be touched and that you would consider becoming a sponsor yourself. You can check out personally for yourself at www.Compassion.com/Joyfulmom.
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