Last night my husband and I attended a banquet held by Compassion International here in Nashville. It was more than an inspired night. It was life-changing for me.
My ministry, Proverbs 31, has been a partner of Compassion for about 3 years now. Compassion seeks to change poverty one life at a time. To achieve this important task, Compassion partners with Christian speakers and musicians whom God has given a platform in order to voice the needs of poor children.
When I think about God’s command to care for the poor, it overwhelms me. During the banquet, I realized that I was looking at the big picture and asking myself, “How can I change a whole country?” The truth is I can’t. What I can do is change one life who will then change another.
We were privileged to hear from a sponsored child at dinner last night. Michelle grew up in poverty both physical and spiritual poverty. Often sharing one egg for dinner with her entire family, her physical needs didn’t out weight her spiritual needs.
Michelle’s father, who eventually abandoned the family, told his daughter that she would always be poor. Because she was poor no one would like her or help her. She would be considered ugly in the eyes of others. He told her in order to survive she would have to give into a life of drugs and gambling.
Michele was hopeless.
One day, her aunt picked took her to a nearby church and register her as a Compassion child. Michele didn’t know it then, but her life was about to change. Two years later, a couple from Michigan chose her packet while attending a concert. They not only provided a way for Michele to have food, clothing and an education, but they provided for her spiritual poverty, too.
Michele’s sponsored family spoke words of life and love into the heart of Michele. She received those words along with those written in the bible that was given to her when she registered as a Compassion child.
Michele grew and became top in her class in Elementary and all the way through High School. She graduated with honors and now attends college in IL. As a student, she sponsors not one child but two.
Michele is no longer poor. She is rich with God’s love. She is “Living His dream for her life.” What’s that dream? It’s the same dream God has for all of His children—to know Him and make Him known to others.
Michele is taking advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. She is determined not to waste the life God has given her but to live it to the fullest for His glory. She inspired me to do the same.
I want to live God’s dream for me. In America we have plenty but we are poverty stricken when it comes to our relationship with God. I do not want to settle for a relationship that keeps God at arm’s length. I do not want a relationship that expects little from him and experiences less. I want all that He has for me. I want His dream. I don’t want to close the gap between my smallness and his greatness, my sin and his holiness, my weakness and his power because nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with God.
We are put here on earth to make our lives count. The couple in Michigan made a difference. Michele is making a difference. I’m going to allow God to use me to make a difference too. I’m going to live His dream for me so that through me others can find their dreams, too.
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