L.O.V.E.

Think about it for a moment. LOVE. When you see that word what do you think of? What does it mean? A word so little, but SO BIG!  Love...

One word. Many meanings. A word that can penetrate. It goes deep.

If you grew up in a good home then you have a decent grasp of the word. Yet, just a grasp! If you grew up in an abusive home then you have no idea what the love of a parent feels like. You do, however, know what you longed for. Good past, or bad, each of us have a deep desire for love. God created us that way. If you have kids, you know a different kind of love all together. More of an unconditional love.

Today, I got to receive love. Give love. Watch love. In many ways, love is action.

All of our girls have been abused in some way. Emotionally or physically, not one seems to have escaped it. One of our girls has been abandoned repeatedly. Rejected by her mom when she was two, she was sent to live with her father. Her dad found a new woman that didn't want her around so a few months later she was sent to her grandmother. The grandmother said she was a burden and cost too much so she sent her to IHNFA. IHNFA placed her in a foster home where she was mistreated and neglected to the degree of crying hysterically if I raise my voice while giving correction. She knows no love.

This morning I was busy trying to get my January report finished. I know the month is not over, but I want my work to be over so it is one less thing I have to do this weekend. I was filling out papers to finish payroll and adding numbers and kept seeing a face in the doorway. A pacing silent shadow in my peripheral vision. A little annoyed over the distraction I went to see who it was. I asked her to come inside the room. She stood behind me as I worked and said nothing for almost half an hour. Finally, I set my things aside and looked at her, "Aha? Whats up?" Her head dropped. "Is something wrong?" Silence. Her distance concerned me, but I figured she needed a moment so I answered my ringing phone. Finishing the conversation I sat back down next to the mess of papers. I felt a hand touch my arm. I turned and pulled her close. Hugging her I felt something warm on my arm, soon followed by a sniffle. "I just want to be loved."

Sometimes I lack for a response.

What do you do? Sometimes all I can do is hug. I can assure her. But the truth is that I can only show a small bit of how GREAT His love is. She knows the sting of rejection all too well. It is time to show her what it should have been. I cannot undo the past, but I can influence her future and some of that is by showing her a love that is true and pure.

She isn't the only one that is in need. You see people that are hurting every day. What are you doing to show them LOVE?

Sometimes you just need to stop, let everything around you sit, and spread some! I mean LOVE! Don't get confused! ;)

Do your part, Be His hands! Spread His love!

You're Gonna Get Hurt!

I think I say those words at least 50, yes, you read that right, 50 times a day. I have Junior Evel Knievel growing up in my home. He is only 15 months, but someone forgot to tell him he was not an adult when he was born. I find him on top of kitchen counters, above the t.v. stand, pushing chairs and stacking boxes to reach the top of the refrigerator. NO EXAGERATION!  This is the same kid I watch push this little car thing, then hop on top and surf! Yup, the entire time I am screaming "You're gonna get hurt!"  

It makes me wonder how often God does this with us. I am sure that every bad relationship, bad business move, pre-mature church plant, and way to soon move into a foreign country was prefaced by, you know it, "You're gonna get hurt!"  Now, if God knew what was coming down the road, why didn't He stop us? Right? Not really. As many times as I forewarn I cannot prevent every fall, fail, and heartbreak that will be experienced. God may be able to prevent things in the same way a parent is able to intervene. We don't always stop bad things from happening though, do we? Part of the way a child grows and blossoms becoming an inteligent, independant critter we just want to lock away for a while is by letting them learn from their mistakes. If you go back to the Garden of Eden. Yep, WAY BACK into Genesis... It all started by us having free-will. We had one rule to follow, but it was our decision to make. It was not forced. We were warned! There were, and still are, consequences to that action just like there is to every action made every day.

We can go back to basic physics. Good Ol' Newton... To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. No matter what we do in life we will get a reaction. There is no "get out of jail free" card. Sorry. I find it interesting how I talk with people that have some random encounter with God and "got radically saved". If you truly have had one of those encounters, don't let me take your joy. It can be a great thing. If it is what you want! What you truly want!!! However, I find that many people are just reaching out in the midst of their crisis. A guy just got caught with 5 kilos of cocaine. He decides to "surrender" to God out of the fear that is gripping him. Oh God can, and will, take your life and drastically change it. Just don't expect Him to take away that verdict of a jail sentence that was just announced. He isn't some genie in a bottle for you to rub when you need Him. He is there for you to call on. He will love you. He will walk with you every day as you return to your jail cell. He can even be an escape, but He isn't your "prison break".  Do you remember that still and small voice that was tugging at the back of your heart? The one that said, "You're gonna get hurt!"

We all have it every day. Just like a parent. God cares. He loves. His heart aches as you ignore His voice. A tears rolls down His cheek when He sees the pain and suffering. He is still there. He may not be the head of the prevention or intervention center. You won't find Him there. That isn't His role. He is president of Comfort and Peace Chapel. He will hold you when you are haunted by your darkest fear. He will carry you when you can no longer bear your burdens. And He will wipe your tears when you in the midst of your deepest sorrows. He picks us up when we fall off the highest mountain, even if He told us not to go their in the first place. We may face physical therapy to over come the physical damage, but He holds our hand every step of the way.