Leftovers

I made a mistake. 

There was a man standing on the side of the road.  In his hands he held a sign and scribbled on that sign were the words - "just hungry.  anything will help. (leftovers)" 

Well wouldn't you know, I was coming from Jersey Mikes (a sandwich shop) and had half of my sandwich nicely wrapped up in the center console.  Leftovers.

My first thought - "I'm saving my sandwich for later.  That's tomorrows lunch!"  Shameful.

Then I began to think - "Ok, no, I'll just give it to him, that's what Jesus would want me to do." 

But then the light turned green and I had places to go.

The further away I got from the poor old man the worse I felt.  Maybe my sandwich would have been his only opportunity for dinner that night...maybe not.  Who cares really?  I should have handed over that stupid sandwich. 

Repentance immediately went into full effect.

I know that I'm forgiven.  In fact, God has thoroughly impacted me with this experience.  It's almost as if He planned it this way. ;-)

Matthew 25: 35-40
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to vist me.
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Scripture tells us that whatever we do for the "least of these" we have done for our Father.  In the same way, whatever we do not do, we have not done for our Father.

Leftovers.  Food that we couldn't fit into our bodies because we had already stuffed our selves full of other yummy food.  Funny thing is, we so easily hoard these "leftovers" for later - more times than not, we end of throwing them away. 

Reality check.  1 child dies every 4 seconds due to starvation.  4 SECONDS.  We are so busy preparing extravagent feasts to even remember that.  Myself included. 

No, I can't send my leftovers to these sweet children of God.  But I could give it to someone in need.  Someone who hasn't had a meal today.  A child of God right here in my own city.  Perhaps, someone who's standing right on the side of the road with a signs that screams "hungry"!

Wasn't I just saying in my last post that we start the process of telling others about Jesus by tangibly SHOWING them Gods love?  I also said that it was a work in progress and I'd say after this little instance, I'm one step forward.

In the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan there is a passage that has etched itself upon my brain.  The question was begged (directed to God), "Why are so many people dying of starvation?"  The author then challenged me with the sentence: "He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving."

Whoa.  God created this earth, every man, every creature, every plant.  There is enough here through the power of God to sustain us.  But we are keeping (hoarding really) everything for ourselves, while others go without.  Why can't we share?  Provide?  Love others by giving?  

I'm sure the man on the side of the road wasn't dying of starvation.  It's very hard to go without a meal here in Charlotte.  But how would I feel if I was hungry and all I needed was for someone to hand me a measly, half eaten sandwich, yet no one could muster up the generosity?

I am no one to judge his circumstance.  Who knows what happened in his life that left him hungry on the side of the road.  My only responsibility is to help.

I want to please my Father in heaven.  I want to feed the "least of these," physically and spiritually.  I have plenty.  No, I have more than plenty.  I have excess. 

Here is my plan.  I will purchase unperishable food.  I will put them into ziplock bags and have them in the back seat of my car.  I will hand them out to those hungry and homeless.  Better than "leftovers," I'll give them "brand new" food. 

Because you know, I am now accountable. 

God broke my heart for this man,  He broke it with a purpose.

Sams Club, here I come!

Let Love be the Proof

So, to be a bit more clear about our particular mission, allow me to fill you in!

Swaziland is the name, LOVE is the game!

This trip is primarily about physical need and spiritual need.  No nail and hammer for this gal!  (Unless the Lord tells me otherwise!)

Orphan care, education, and distributing food are three major parts of this trip.  We will also have the opportunity to spend time with and care for widows and widowers, as well as be with people nearing the end of their life.  (In my previous post I briefly spoke about the incredibly high HIV/AIDS rate).  Not really sure how I will handle that..but the Lord is my strength.

Basically, the common theme is LOVE!

How can you possibly explain to anyone about how much Christ loves them without giving them tangible evidence??  Orphans are left parentless, they have no mommy, no daddy to love them.  They need a representation of love in their lives.  I want to love them by serving them.  By feeding them, teaching them, singing and dance with them, hugging them, and listening to them.

Our first responsibility is to show them how much our Savior loves them..then we get to tell them all about it!! 

Have you ever heard that phrase that goes something like.. "Your mission field is right under your own two feet"?  I firmly believe that.  We should show Christ love every single day.  I pretty much fail miserably at this..but it's important nonetheless.  We should be led by mercy.  The people right around us need us to feed them, teach them, sing and dance with them, hug them, and listen to them.  I am challenging myself to go out of my way to show LOVE to those around me. 

Sometimes (well, a lot of the time) I am wrapped up in myself and dont want to deal with anyones problems but my own.  I pray the Lord would unveil my eyes and help me to see the world as He sees it.  Hurting, desperate, needy.  I pray He would unveil my eyes and help me see His children they way He sees them.  Beloved, cherished, made in His image.  Not until I truely understand the depth of His love for us, can I truely understand how to love others.

It's a work in progress. 

If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breath with every song

I bring an empty voice, a hallow noise

If I speak with the silver tongue and convince a crowd but dont have love

I leave a bitter taste with every word I say

So let my life be the proof of Your love

So let my love look like You and what Your made of

How You lived, how You died

Love is sacrifice

So let my life be the proof

The proof of Your love

If I give

To a needy soul but dont have love then who is poor?

It seems all the poverty is found in me

When it's all said and done

When we sing our final song

Only love remains..

The Proof of Your love By King and Country

1 John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us."

Oh..by the way, I LOVE YOU!!   ;-)

It's about time..

Did you know that experts predict that in 2050 Swaziland will cease to exist?  Swaziland is a country raveged by AIDS/HIV (the worlds highest known AIDS/HIV prevalence rate), leaving over 20% of children orphaned.  An estimated 69% of the population lives in poverty..and so many are left widowed, ill, and with little hope. 

My husband, Joseph, and I are going to be spending 9 days in this tiny country.  (www.adventuresinmissions.org) With such a short amount of time it's hard to know just how much can be accomplished, but if we can show even one person the love of Christ, it'll be completely worth it!

It's about time we got out of our comfort zone to go and serve the Lord.  I have been feeling a nudge towards missions for a long time, but man have I been stubborn!  Christ commissioned us in Matthew 28:18-20 to "go and make disciples of all nations.." and throughout scripture He makes it known His love for the needy and our responsibility to go and love our brothers and sisters.  What have we been waiting for?  There is no greater blessing than to serve others while serving God.  There is no greater work in the world!  It's about time we stop wasting time!

We have been praying over, planning, and fundraising for this trip since August 2011.  The Lord worked His mighty hand and made this dream a reality, despite many obstacles!

Somehow, we have only 6 weeks left until we leave, and I feel so unprepared!  We have all the necessities and paperwork, but I feel spiritually unprepared. I have this idea that my heart should be in this super righteous state - that I am going to march over there and have all the answers.

Clearly, that's not going to happen!  I am a sinner.  This mission is not about me or what I can do, it's about my Savior and what HE can do.  I am trying to prepare my heart through prayer, scripture, and total reliance upon Christ.  I want to feel near to Him, to feel His constant presence, to know I'm living smack dab in the middle of His will for my life.

Despite a valiant effort at preparing my heart, anxiety, doubt, and fear tend to creep there way back in.  Anxiety and fear over potential risks (illness, snakes, rabid animals, crazy long flights, etc.) and doubting my ability to adequately speak Truth into these peoples lives.  Simply put..how can God use me, surely someone else can do it better?

No.  He made me.  He knows my inner most being.  He is the lover of my soul.  He has a purpose for me and for this trip.  Trust, trust, trust.  I will not allow the evil one to insnare me with doubt.

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."  He is able.  He has more planned for us than anything I can imagine, and I definitely want to see what is in store!  His Holy Spirit will give us the words needed to speak, and He will use our hands and feet to advance His Kingdom in some small way.  No fear, doubt, anxiety is going to hold me back this time.  It's time I ought to be fully trusting.

He ordained this mission and so we go.  We go humbly surrendered to Him and totally confident in Him!  6 weeks from today!