From Here

I have this picture of Lily- an 11 year old girl who is the daughter of a family friend.  In the picture, Lily is standing at the finish line of a relay race; her arms raised in victory.  There are others in the distance.  Just by looking at this picture, there is something you would probably never know.  In this picture, little Lily was fighting cancer.  She passed away just months after it was taken.

I have kept this picture because it brings me peace.  It gives me perspective.  It reminds me of a song I hear often.  The song is called From Here by Big Daddy Weave.  The song is written from the perspective of somebody who has passed away and gone to Heaven.  The line that sticks out to me, and that I always think of when I see this picture of Lily, is this:

“From here, the race has been won

  Love’s already won

  I see clearly, the end and the start”

From the viewpoint of Heaven, the race has been won.  The struggle has ended.  God’s love and mercy have brought you to the finish line and given you victory over your sin and the pain that you once faced on Earth.  Another line of the song was written as though talking to someone who is still on Earth.  Although I don’t think, nor does the bible say, that people can talk to us or see us from Heaven, I do believe that if they could, they would say something very similar to this:

 “I know that your heart would know peace, if you could just see where I am.”

So often when I struggle with things of this world, I tend to think, “If I could just see a glimpse of Heaven, none of this would matter.  I would remember how temporary all of this struggle is and would be reminded of what really matters.”  When I hear this song and think about being in Heaven, I am reminded of the peace and stability that we have in Christ. 

Recently, God spoke something so beautiful to my heart.  As I was thinking of the picture of Lily at the finish line and wishing that I could have that glimpse of Heaven to put things into perspective, God said, “A glimpse of Heaven?  My little lamb, I have given you much more than a glimpse.  Not only did I send My Son down to Earth to show you much more than a glimpse of who I am, and then die to take the punishment for your sins to save you from hell and allow you to be re-born into My family if you so choose…but then, I put My own Spirit inside of you, to continue to teach you about Heaven and speak to you about Me.  I did this to help you to understand My Word when you read and hear it.  I have given you much more than a mere glimpse of Heaven, My child.  It’s not a glimpse that you see with your eyes, but rather, one that you see through the eyes of faith.  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.  It is the conviction of things not seen.  Hold on to faith with Me as your strength.  Hold on to the various glimpses of Heaven that My Word brings to you, and know peace, My love.”

So now, as I look at Lily standing at that finish line, I will remember to run this race with the finish line in mind- eternity in Heaven.  When I face trials, I will remember, as God has shown me several times lately, to run the race with Heaven as my viewpoint- and let God lead my paths to the Earthly things that He needs of me.  I will also take time aside each day to gain Heavenly perspective in His Word.

 “Let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” –Hebrews 12:1

The Loaves and The Fish

Our God is so full of unexpected plans and blessings! 

I recently shared the story of God leading me to sponsor a sweet girl in Honduras named Melania.  I tried to resist and convince God that sponsoring the one child I already had was plenty.  I told Him I wasn’t equipped to do more.  I shared with you how He made room in my heart and got me used to the idea of sponsoring both of those beautiful girls.  Like God has been telling me over and over again and even confirming through others: when you show that you are faithful in the little things, He will assign more to you.  Whether that be blessings, ministry, or anything else…be faithful with the little that you have been given, and it will show that you can be trusted with more.  Not always in your way or your timing, but your dedication will not be ignored.

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." -Luke 16:10

This morning, I logged on to my World Vision child sponsorship account to find a new little face staring back at me!  I literally jumped back from my computer screen when I saw what I thought must be a mistake- knowing that I had only agreed to sponsoring Sulmi and Melania.  My first reaction was that something was wrong and they had assigned a child to the wrong sponsor’s account.  I was about to pick up the phone and call the organization when I noticed the child’s name- Aura Roseli. 

Aura Roseli isn’t just a beautiful name; it is a name I know well.  It is a name mentioned in all of my Sulmi’s letters.  Aura Roseli is my Sulmi’s sister!  Then it hit me- this was the sister who I sent in an inquiry about sponsoring over six months ago when I first found out she existed and never got a reply!  This was the sister who I had to lay in God’s hands and tell Him to do as He wished when I hadn’t received responses from World Vision about sponsoring her.  This was the child who I have been praying for since last summer and longing to actually see- the child who I'd decided probably already had a sponsor- the child who I had come to the conclusion wouldn’t be mine.  But there she was...

This wasn’t a mistake.  She was really mine.  She had really been assigned to my account without my knowledge.  Two weeks ago, I was the sponsor of just one little girl, like the majority of my friends are.  That alone was great and I was perfectly happy with one.  Now, all of a sudden, God had blessed me with the ministry of sponsoring 3 girls- sponsoring 3 girls on a very unpredictable income, having just turned 19!  If God hadn’t just done that work in my heart with Melania two weeks ago, I’m sure that thought would have caused at least minor panic on my part.  After seeing His provision so clearly with Melania though, and after being assigned this child that I had no control over, I couldn’t possibly doubt that He would take care of this, too.  I calmly opened my bank account and re-budgeted my money.  I was amazed to find that I not only had enough to cover all three sponsorships the whole way through the end of the year without cutting anything out of my budget, but also enough extra to send birthday gifts to all 3 girls!  It’s like the loaves and the fish really. In the bible, when there wasn't enough food to go around, Jesus used the five loaves of bread and two fish He was given to work with, and continued to break and multiply it until it fed over 5,000 people with some food left over. Jesus continues to break us, multiply us, and spread us out to more places and people and ministries than we knew we were capable of. Not only that, but like the story in the bible, there is still some left over!  It’s so beautiful! 

I am so amazed at His work that I can’t even entertain the pathetic thoughts that the enemy has tried to put in my head about it- that the money will run out, that people will think I'm crazy (as if everything Jesus ever did wasn’t crazy to those who didn’t understand), that Sulmi won’t feel as special if I sponsor both her and her sister….  As the enemy continues to throw these thoughts my way, I am reminded of Him who led this all to happen.  I am reminded that He is fully capable.  Not only this, but I am reminded that if He has this part of my life so under control, He is equally capable with the rest of it.  I would be a fool to ever worry again after seeing these plans come to pass.

One of my best friends jokingly said to me today, "You always said you wanted to have like...27,000 kids.  I bet you never expected God to do it like this!"  And you know, that is so true.  I remember just a few months ago, God showed me this verse:

"...I am doing something in your days- you would not believe if you were told." -Habakuk 1:5

And He's right.  I couldn't have planned it better myself.