Sunday... my favorite day of the week. I volunteered in the nursery at church this morning, and had a blast. I love the kids, and they always end up being such a blessing to me. This morning was especially hectic and rewarding because we had so many children with two helpers (myself and another lady). For some kids it was there first time visiting our church, and we had 2 6-month-olds who were absolutely adorable. Both of them liked to be held, however, so it was a challenge to meet all of their needs. Thankfully we did end up receiving more help from a younger girl who had a desire to assist us with the little ones :) I just wanted to share some about my blessed morning. I arrived early awhile before service was scheduled to begin, and one little 1 1/2-year-old boy who I have known for awhile came running into the nursery holding a book that he seemed very proud of. I asked him what he brought in today, and I couldn't understand his answer so I asked him if he wanted me to read it to him. He quickly and excitedly answered "yes". As I grabbed the book I realized it was a Baby's Bible, and I began reading to the little boy about Adam and Eve. After I read about a new person he would repeat the names of those individuals when I prompted him to do so. When I got to the last page, however, and Jesus was introduced he immediately started shouting "Jesus! Jesus!" It was so awesome to see this little 1-year-boy so excited because he knew about Jesus. He had the biggest contagious smile as he pointed to the page with Jesus' picture on it. I know I am blessed to get the opportunity to help these children!
The Lord has really been speaking to me through a book I felt prompted to read this weekend. It is challenging me, humbling me, and teaching me about God's call for us to love the world. At the end of each chapter it asks me questions that you are supposed to answer before turning the page. These always hit home for me along with all the awesome stories of the many missionaries serving around the world. Many of these giving individuals are serving in dangerous, war-torn countries in which even basic medical care is essentially non-existent. They giving of their time, their resources, their lives, and mostly of their hearts to the millions of hurting people in our world today. Even so far in the book the many stories of these extraordinary missionaries and how God has called them to be His hands and feet have broken my heart. I am finding the reading of this book to be an emotional rollercoaster for me. It's as if God is taking each of the stories presented and speaking directly to me. I wanted to include an excert from Make A Difference: Responding to God's Call to Love the World that especially spoke to me. This scene takes place in Sarajevo, Bosnia where the author of this book, Melvin Cheatham meets a humble Bosnian neurosurgeon named Dr. Josip Jurisic...
"How can can he keep giving day after day?" I wondered. Then, a few days later, Dr. Josip amazed me with the answer. He reached in his wallet, took out a crinkled-up photograph ans said to me, 'This is me saying good-bye to my wife and small son as they were being evacuated from Sarajevo at the beginning of the war.' The photo showed Dr. Josip standing alongside the bus. His hand was on the outside of the bus window pressed against the outstretched hand of his young son on the inside of the bus, who in that moment wanted just one more time to touch his daddy. At that moment they were separated only by the thickness of the pane of glass, but it was a separation Dr. Josip realized might be for the rest of their lives. "My pregnant wife waved and my son waved and I waved,' he said. 'And that was it. The bus left. I watched until there was nothing left but a few whiffs of diesel exhaust, and they were gone. Then I went back inside the hospital and began caring for yet another patient, and another, then another.' Dr. Josip told me how after seeing his family safely sent away, he prayed God might protect his wife, small, son, and unborn baby, and then he said, 'My life is in Your hands. Please use me to care for the people who are being wounded in this terrible war.' I believe that as he looked into the eyes of his hurting patients, he saw the tears of his own wife and small son, and that prepared him to give his own life, if necesary, in order to bring help and hope to others. Out of his pain, Dr. Josip found a new compassion that says to another, 'I know what you're feeling. I know what it's like to hurt. By sharing what I have with you, God will turn my heartache into your blessing.' "
Immediately after reading this touching story I realized for real that God is calling me to use my story, my pain from Jeff's death in the same way. I love how in the story it states that after Dr. Josip watched his family being safely sent away, he prayed God would use him to help others. For me I know Jeff was safely taken away from this Earth in God's loving arms. God left me here on this Earth, however, for a reason - He still has much He desires for me to do here. I pray that God will give me the strength and the heart of Jesus to be able to fully live Dr. Josip's statement "By sharing what I have with you, God will turn my heartache into your blessing."
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