September Already?

It's so hard for me to believe that it's September - fall, school, leaves, camping trips, long-sleeve shirts, LABOR DAY SALES!!! Where did the summer go? I could recount to anyone who asked what I did with my summer but they probably wouldn't want the details. All I know is it's good to be home for at least a good solid week. I'm even more excited about the fact that I'm now looking at being home for an entire month! That's extremely uncommon in our house. I'm excited about buying groceries for a time period of more than four days and I'm not quite sure I remember how to do that. I'm excited about the fact that we don't have to find someone to watch our poor dog who I think might have forgotten our faces every once in a while during this summer.

But at the same time I'm a little sad. Sad because it's all over. Sad because the experiences I had this summer were remarkable and life-changing. However, I must say, I'm not afraid this time that what I learned and what I thought was life-changing will fade away in a month or two. I feel like I am completely new and embarking on ideas, dreams and hopes I never thought myself capable of. I'm now pretty sure that while I can't solve all of the worlds problems, I can at least be a part of the solution. I'm no longer overwhelmed by the desperate situation that lurks just beyond America's borders. I now know that even just giving up going out for one meal could give a child in another country food for a week.

We're going to adopt children - not ones that live in our house just yet but children none the less. Children who will now have food and shelter, clothing and an education because we send our money. So what you say? So you learned all this stuff and all you got out of it was, "Sponsor A Child." No, that's not all I got out of it. I got that I've got a whole lot more than 75% of the world and that I should be giving at least some of what I've got to them. I got that I can do more and that sponsoring a child is a good place to start but I don't want it to be the end. I got that being a Christian is more than just holiness - it's about social justice and ACTION!!

I've got all these hopes now. I want to rescue the poor who cry for help and the fatherless who have no one to assist them. I want to help the widow. I want to put on righteousness as my clothing and justice as my robe and my turban. I want to be eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. I want to be a mother to the needy (hence the child sponsorship and maybe someday a real adoption). I want to take up the case of the stranger. And by doing these things, I BREAK THE FANGS OF THE WICKED AND SNATCH THE VICTIMS FROM THEIR TEETH. (that's Job 29:12 - 17 by the way).

I've always thought, "I should sponsor a child" before. "I should give money to the poor." Have I ever followed through with those thoughts? No. They were just that, things I should do - but not today. Now, it's passion, it's desire, it's a need not just something I "should do because it would make me feel better about myself." It's reality that is somehow now meets me at my front door and keeps me pressing on for more information. It's not just something I should do - it's something I HAVE TO DO or else. Or else what? Or else they'll still be hungry with no one to feed them. That's what else.

Wesley Campbell and Stephen Court write in their book Be A Hero, "The face of the earth changes when the hearts of its people are transformed." Well, I can say now that I am truly transformed and still being transformed. I have been a Christian for about 12 years but I feel like I'm just now feeling God's heart beat and allowing him to break my heart for the things that break his heart - that's transformation.

I also have tangible hopes now - to start a children's home, to free slaves of child prostitution and bondage, to be a part of their lives and show them Jesus.

So I guess the fact that this summer is over isn't really all that sad. No, not at all. I wake up every morning now with this incredible feeling of purpose and reason. I long to be close to Jesus now. He is my all and I will do what He wants which is to feed His sheep. Thank you Lord for the transformation.

So, what are you waiting for? Are you ready to change the face of the world? Then do it. It doesn't take much - just giving up a dinner out a week or depriving yourself of a CD or two each month. Do you really need it? Like they need food? They're calling out to you for help - I hope you answer.

Ready for a revolution,
Joy