I need to write, I sit here, on Christmas morning, so thankful that the Lord granted my prayer for our whole family to be together on Christmas, yet I can’t help but feel my aching heart.
There are memories that stand out to me from Haiti, so vivid, so emotional, that no matter how much I personally desire to stay home, I know I must return to Haiti. I remember, Christmas Eve last year, sitting in church beside this little girl. She had on a pretty white dress, it was covered in dirt stains and the zipper in the back didn’t work. She snuggled up close to me and looked at me with her big brown eyes, I could see the look on her face that showed how excited she was to be sitting beside me and how like every other girl she just wanted to look beautiful and be noticed and loved by someone. I had flashbacks of my youth, same feelings as a little girl but such different circumstances, a clean beautiful handmade dress, surrounded by family that loved and adored me. I struggled to hold back the tears as I sat through the church service and I prayed with all my heart “Lord, please let this little amount of love that I show her be enough to help her through the hardest and painful moment of her life. Please let her always remember this as a picture of the love of Jesus and that she may know He is always with her.”
After the service her sister, not much older than her, grabbed her arm and ripped her out of the pew dragging her home, she looked back at me with a huge smile on her face; my heart ripped in two and I knew I would never be the same again.
As tears flow down my face all I can do is sit here and stare at the wall. No matter the sacrifice I have to make, no matter the insults I have to endure, to show the love of Jesus, even to one little soul far surpasses every price that I will pay. Love will overcome every obstacle and I’m so full of gratitude that Jesus was born this Christmas day and chose to give His life for me that I may have eternal life. I am so thankful for the love that Jesus fills my spirit with and I am honored to go out to the poor and needy to share this love. When faith is centered on a love relationship with Jesus, it is no longer a sacrifice, just joy that comes with falling more in love with Jesus by sharing Him with the world.
This verse, a theme of my journey stands out yet again this morning. Every time I take a step of faith this verse becomes even more meaningful to me. The Lord’s love and grace is so deep and so in-comprehensive!
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Picture: Girl in Haiti in a white dress.
Blessings of Joy to you this Christmas,
Alicia
No comments:
Post a Comment