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

Jenny's Pearl Necklace

Jenny's Pearl Necklace

Author Unknown

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores. She went to the neighbor, Mrs. McJames, and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother had told her that if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then may I have your pearls?"

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then will you give me your pearls?"

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay, Honey. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. When she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace. With the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.

So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that He can give us beautiful treasure. Isn't God good?

Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go of? Are you holding onto harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?

Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing... God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

A note from Laura

I read this 5 years ago & have kept it. I ran across it the other day and just couldn't throw it away without sharing it. What a reminder of how Jesus is Lord & I need to be willing to let go of people & things that are not God's best for me. Maybe I should just let go instead of wrestling all night & ending up with a limp. :)

In His Grip,

Laura