Loving Sacrificially

I recently read "Kisses From Katie" by Katie Davis, a young missionary in Uganda.  What makes her story so compelling is the "unorthodox" way in which she does things.  She just doesn't "make sense".  She has NO training.  She went there when she was 18, not even knowing the language.  She went with her parents' very reluctant blessing.  She has adopted 13 daughters to date.  Her ministry feeds 1600 children a day, 5 days a week.  She didn't have a plan.  She didn't have the money.  But she has been obedient to her Savior.  She humbly admits that she didn't plan this, this wasn't her plan, but it's God's heart for her life.  The other compelling thing to me is her capacity to LOVE, I mean really love. She sacrificed everything, her family, her comfortable home, her boyfriend and friends to go to the other side of the world and pour out her life as an offering to her Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

I am challenged by her example.  Do I pour out my life for those around me?  Do I LOVE like that?  Do I sacrifice for my husband?  For my children?  What ways can I LOVE more? 

I think of myself way too often. 

I forget what an awesome honour & blessing it is to be chosen to be a mother.  To be a wife.  It seems so common.  Everywhere I look there are wives & mothers.  BUT, my desire is to be a blessed wife & mother.  I want my husband & children to be blessed by my words, my actions, my training, my teaching. 

Proverbs 14:1  Every wise woman buildeth her house:  but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Titus 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding bass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Love, charity IS really the most important thing.  AND I cannot do it on my own.  I must FIRST Love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind THEN love my neighbor as myself.  Jesus has to be first.  Without Him loving them through me, I can't love the way He wants me to.  I cannot build up my husband or encourage my child.  I can't teach them to the love the Lord with all their heart if I'm not pursuing Christ with all of mine. 

Such an awesome responsibility and the greatest privilege. 

Matthew 18:5 And Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

By receiving children into our home, we are literally receiving Christ.

May I remember that and treat them as special and honored as I would Christ.  Love them sacrificially.  So that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

In His Grip,
Laura