I sat there reading her post. A post written so beautifully it read like poetry. Ann Voskamp is in Africa visiting a little girl they have sponsored for years. And then it hit me with the weight of a ton of bricks. The ache and the longing. I miss my kiddos in India. They hardly know I exist and they don’t need me but…I need them. You see it might seem that I’m helping them by raising funds for them…and in a lot of ways I suppose that’s true. But really I’m the one that is blessed. I’m the one that is taught so much by them. Sometimes though the longing to be there to cup their beautiful little faces in my hands and play with them and just live life with them is oh so painful. And I want to look at Jesus and just say “Stop already please!”. But Jesus didn’t stop. He did let his heart burst for the people he loved. He didn’t push away the ache. He embraced it. And I want to as well. His love changed everything. By his grace I want the love he has so freely bestowed on me to flow out and touch others lives. Because if I don’t I will shrivel up. C.S. Lewis expressed this so beautifully when he stated this:
“Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.”
By being selfish and wanting to protect our hearts from pain we actually do ourselves a disservice. We are the ones that miss out. What will you choose?
UPDATE!!! $75,801.51 😀 Soooo will you love on these kiddos and let your actions show your care? Will you help push us over the $76K mark?! 😀 Even $5 dollars makes a difference.
P.S. This video is of our kiddos at camp learning to ride a bike for the first time! Can you say ADORABLE?! It blessed me so much to see them helping each other and serving. They teach me so much…
It is cool to teach kids how to ride bikes, but I can see how this would be difficult when they are all trying to just figure it out on their own. I’m glad they have bikes! I hope my heart bursts because of Jesus pouring out of it!
I’ll never forget teaching my nephew how to ride his bike. 😀 Haha they are all so cute though. I’m thrilled they got to learn how to ride. Victoria your heart does burst and it shows. xxx
Awww. I watched this video and the trampoline one. Wow. I thought, they’ve never jumped on a trampoline, and it was such a delight. Even some of the kids were so sweet and putting out their hand to catch the ones that stumbled a little. How adorable. 🙂 Wish I could join you in running over there, RIGHT NOW, to see those kiddos. 😀