Perhaps I make it more difficult then it needs to be!

I was talking with my son, Caleb, this morning about vaccinations. I couldn't help but love the way he interpreted my explanation. He said, "So it's like a force field around us then, right mom?"! I found this so awesome and insightful at how children take what we say and internalize them into things they can relate too. Obviously, Caleb is all about force fields and things of that nature! What followed my thoughts as I amused myself at his response was what I would say was a God moment. Wanting to impart my faith and love of Jesus to my children, I have been praying about how I can share the principals of God's word with Caleb in a way that will interest him and speak to him. It's difficult sometimes because even, I in my adult understanding, have trouble grasping some of the scriptures. So the challenge is, how can I present them to my 10 year old son in a way that he can relate, understand and also so as not to bore him! Some children might be content with the traditional bible stories out of children's bibles, but Caleb needs something more graphic and relateable to grab his interest. This moment provided some insight to that. Using Caleb's "force field" example, I realized I could use that analogy to help Caleb understand what it's like to be surrounded by God's love and presence in our lives -- to have that protection is much like having a "force field" around us. But we must trust and believe that the force field will protect us and help us get to where we need to go in life. And, as I write this, I am thinking that maybe what God is really teaching me through this moment with my son is that I don't have to make teaching him about God so complicated. That maybe if I just share with him, in the same manner that I explained the purpose of vaccinations to him, that he is quite capable of interpreting it into ways in which he is able to relate. I suppose I need to have a little more faith in the fact that God will take my efforts at planting seeds and water them so that they will grow according to his purpose. A little lesson in my life today that I wanted to share. ~Marlo

Should babies really be starving? Should mommies really be watching them starve?

It seems so far from reality for us who are blessed to live in the US -- it's really hard to truly wrap our heads around the fact that there really are starving children in the world! Babies, dying before they even get a chance at life merely because they are unable to get the basic nutrition required to live! Even my worst of times, when I really wasn't sure how I was going to put food on the table the rest of the week, we never really went without...not really. It may have felt like it at the time, it may have seemed that we were poor, hungry and suffering. But, we weren't, not really. Even in those times, we had something and even more, probably even enough to share. Why, when we live in the land of plenty, are there children literally starving to death in far away lands, when I know a good majority of us have more then we truly need.

I drive down the road and sadly, I witness homeless people and I am fully aware that there are even more that we do not see on a daily basis. Perhaps they are camped out in cars, in hidden tents, under overpasses, on park benches --they are there, this we know. But even so, we have programs and shelters and opportunities--definitely not enough, but they are there. What we see as poverty and homeless as we drive down the road is nothing to what goes on in remote villages in far away lands. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to undermine the depth of our homeless population right here in the US, I have a heart bent towards helping relieve the suffering in this regard. But the discomfort for children can be relieved in some regards here in the States because we have public school systems that provide help, meals and education for all. While this doesn't fix our homeless situation here, it does at least provide something more than what is available in other countries! Remote villages in other countries don't have public schools to provide these outlets for children. I am guilty of living blindly to this, yet I know it exist, but never really taking the time to absorb the truth of it!

Perhaps God is stirring my heart, breaking my heart even, to the reality that exists in the lives of the people that make their home in these countries. Whatever it is, having now had my heart enlightened to a new level of truly embracing the reality of it all, I also seem to have my eyes opened to how many good opportunities there are that give me the opportunity to help. It may only be a little that I can do alone, but what if we all did a little? I mean really! We hear it regularly in our lives, but what if we really all did do just a little! It would truly make such a huge impact on the lives of God's people!

I would like to promote a recent offer that I felt led to contribute too -- World Concern is promoting packets called Nutributter. The are supplements for babies food, intended to provide nutrition that they need and can't get. Here is a link to them, you can read the information directly. http://www.worldconcern.org/Nutributter . Give a one time contribution towards these or commit to regular donations, the choice is yours. If you've been blessed, how can you not reach out and give back in some way?

Whether in the US or elsewhere, this is life abundantly...

Friends...

How is it that Christians can fulfill the mission we are here to do, if we isolate ourselves in a Christian bubble? We must fuel up by surrounding ourselves with Godly people and continually be in the Word to grow and mature into all that God created us to be --this is true, but if we don't reach out to those who don't know Christ, then what good are we? If we are fueling ourselves just for ourselves, then all that God gives us and imparts in our spirits is of little value. We must take that Godly fuel and send it out into the world. That means connecting with those we may deem "ungodly" or "non-Christians", and building relationships with them. It is through those relationships that God can move through us to reach others. If we wrap ourselves up in our bubbles of safety, then I question how in the world the world will ever see Christ? How will the world ever get a glimpse of how much God loves them if we do not allow ourselves to be God's vessel to display it?

I see our role as Christians as a graceful dance led by the spirit in that we need to be so tightly intertwined with God that our every step is guided by the Spirit so that we know when to speak, and when to listen; so that we know when to step back and when to engage; so that we know when to be still and just pray for others and when to actively interact. When was the last time you, as a Christian, took the time to build a relationship with someone outside your Christian friends? We have so much to offer the world, but it's of no use if we don't take the time to build relationships and allow the world to witness God in action.

Don't expect that the world will truly appreciate God in our lives if we only know them from a distance, for it is through building relationships with others that opens the door for others to care and feel cared for...we all need to be understood and accepted for who we are, right where we are. When we impact others in this way, then our walk with God will be more purposeful in the lives of others. They will begin to trust and appreciate us, which opens the door for ministry -- it's really all about love...loving people right where they are and being willing to step out of our comfort zone and engage in the lives of others. Should we really stand in our spots, judging the lives of others and deciding whether the way they live deserves our interaction? Did Jesus interact with only those who were clean and nice? The answer is no! Yes, Jesus had his 12 disciples as His confidants and most of all, he knew when to draw away and be alone with God -- He knew how to fuel up and then take it out to the sick, to the ugly, to the unlovable. And, through that, many were changed.

We are to be the salt and light of the world... the bible says in 1 Peter 3..."Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." ... but people will have to know us and have a relationship with us to know that we have a hope! How can one ask you to give a reason for why we have such hope if they don't know us to know that we have hope?

Today, don't just pray for your Christian friends, but pray for your non-christian friends--you do have some, right? Go out into the world and treat it as your mission field--but don't go out with the idea that your going to preach the word first, go out with the humble approach of truly building relationships and caring for others--it is through that genuine, loving act that preaching will come naturally and in a non-preaching manner! Loving others is risky business. You may get hurt, you may suffer, you may have to go without or even feel a little uncomfortable at times...but isn't that what laying our lives down is all about? God will meet our needs through sometimes the strangest of ways; our focus should be to meet the needs of others, trusting that God will take care of all else.

I too, admire Abigail ...