Guest Posting!

Yesterday, I had the privilege and honor of guest posting at Our Little Corner of the World.  Yvonne is a wonderful blogger and Compassion sponsor.  Recently she went with Compassion to Mexico to meet her sponsored boy there.  It has been great getting to know Yvonne a bit and to hear more about Compassion's work in Mexico.

Hop on over here to check out my guest post, and then check out some other posts by Yvonne!  Love is an Action — Our Little Corner of the World

Washington's Prayer

Today, I am excited to have Yujie sharing here!  Yujie is a Compassion sponsor and advocate.  She also blogs at From Saskatchewan to Sodo (so hop on over there and check it out!)

In January 2013 I had the privilege to spend ten days in Ecuador with Compassion International. The very first day we visited a Compassion project, my team split up into two groups to go take tours of some homes where Compassion-sponsored children live. My team got into the back of a truck, waved at the children as we pulled away, and headed to Washington’s house. Washington is a teenage boy who is sponsored through Compassion at project EC-472. He lives with his mother, three sisters, and his grandparents. We were told that they had a new house, but first we were going to see where they used to live. 

My team leader had been to Ecuador in 2012 and had met this family and seen the house they were living in at the time. I wouldn’t even call this structure a house. It was a dilapidated structure with a dirt floor, consisting mostly of pieces of wood and wrapped in garbage bags. It’s horrible to think that people have to live in such conditions. There were two structures like this, right next to each other. I don’t know how it was divided, perhaps boys in one and girls in the other, but the family slept in both of these structures. Washington’s little cousin who tagged along for the tour also told me that the animals used to live in there as well.

My leader said that when she met Washington’s sisters for the first time, they were very quiet and shy, and that his mother looked so much older than she should have. I can imagine that living in such a place would have very negative effects on physical and emotional health.

Washington’s mother, through the help of a translator, told us that when they lived there, she would listen to Washington pray every night, asking God to provide a new house for his family. This young man’s faith is incredible. He wants to be a pastor when he grows up! He never gave up on asking God for a new house, and sure enough, God provided. Washington’s family, working together with their community, had to raise some of the money for the house themselves and Compassion provided the rest. Today they live in a house that is much better, and we got a tour of it as well. 

As we entered the house, which is made of concrete blocks (and even has some glass windows!), Washington’s youngest sister was talking to us excitedly in Spanish. There was so much joy on her face as she and her other siblings showed us the house: the bedrooms (one for the parents, one for Washington, one for the sisters, and one for their grandpa) and the kitchen. This was a much better environment for these children to grow up in. We could tell that they were all very excited to have this house for their family. Washington’s mother was equally happy and seemed much more relaxed than when my team leader had met her the year before.

Washington’s younger sister sang some songs for us in Spanish while we were at the house. The first one I had never heard of, but I recognized the second song based on the actions that she did. In English this song is called “My God is so Big”. I’m sure many of you have heard it before. It goes like this: 

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. The mountains are His, the rivers are His, the stars are His handiwork too. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do! 

There is truly nothing that God cannot do! When we come to Him in prayer, trusting that He will provide for our needs, amazing things can happen.  (Yujie posted the video of her singing "My God is so Big" here - There's Nothing My God Cannot Do! - YouTube)

I recently told Priyanka, my family’s sponsored child in India, this story of how God answered Washington’s prayer for his family. She said “I know God has plans for each of us. God gave a new home to Washington, it’s amazing!” 

I hope that this story of Washington’s faith will be encouraging to you as well.

Smiles....Blessings......

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." -Matthew 10:42

Today I am very excited to share this guest post with you.  Lynne today is going to tell you some about an adventure that has changed how she thinks and acts.  I hope you enjoy learning a bit about Lynne's journeys to Haiti as much as I have!!

Tell us a little about yourself. I am a Christian. I am married to my husband Ron. We have 2 grown children, Sarah and Andrew. I am a Special Education teacher. I have worked at my current job for 8 ½ years. Ron and I live a quiet life in Pennsylvania with our 3 greyhounds and 1 Min Pin. 

When did you first go to Haiti and what inspired you to go? My first trip to Haiti was in February 2012. I had no plans to ever leave the US. In fact when people at church would talk about missions trips I would quietly say to myself that I would never be able to do anything like that. In November 2011 Dawn Weidemoyer contacted me and told me she was looking for an experienced Special Ed teacher to help start preschool classrooms for children with disabilities in Haiti. Dawn and I had worked together years ago but had not been in contact with each other in more than 8 years. She said she had been praying about finding a teacher to take to Haiti and God kept telling her to take me. When she asked me to go (through a facebook message) I laughed then immediately tried to think of a way to say no. It only took a week or 2 for God to convince me that it was part of His plan. 

When do you plan to go Haiti next? My next trip to Haiti will be March 15th through the 29th. 

What do you do while you are there? We will spend a week in Port au Prince training 2 teachers to work with children with disabilities. We hope to officially start 2 classes. We will also visit orphanages and local hospitals while we are there. The second week will be spent in Cap Haitian at a respite center called Children of the Promise. We will work with the COTP staff to teach them how to work with children with disabilities. We will stress the “whys” of what we do with these special children. 

What is your favorite memory from your time in Haiti? My favorite memories are of the
smiling faces of the children in the classrooms. They are so happy to be accepted, loved, hugged and given an education. I love singing and dancing with the teachers and children. I have taught them some American songs and I have learned 2 songs in Creole. 

How has your time in Haiti impacted you? I work much harder to conserve all of my resources including money, water, food, material possessions, etc. As Americans we own way too much stuff and we waste everything. My family now eats left overs until they are gone so nothing gets thrown away. I also spend a lot of time picking up donations of things we can use during our trips to Haiti. Those things include classroom supplies, toys, cloth diapers, pediatric mobility equipment and cash donations. I also am able to put my life’s issues into a different perspective. I know how blessed I am to have so much compared to so many other people in the world. I than God every day for all that he has given me. I include a special thank you to Him for giving me both the resources and the heart to reach out and help others. 

How can we help you as you prepare for your trip? The most important thing people can do for me is pray. Pray for our safety in travel and while we are in Haiti. Pray that we are able to live the gospel as we interact with a culture that believes strongly in voodoo. In addition to prayer if anyone wants to contribute a tax deductible donation towards my trip or sponsor a child in our program (also tax deductible), they can look me up on facebook or email me at lynne_d_65@yahoo.com. I have also set up a Go Get Funding page for donations for people who prefer to pay through paypal http://gogetfunding.com/project/disability-classrooms-in-haiti

Christmas Love - Christmas Blog Post Swap #3

It's Tuesday again, which means it's time for Christmas Blog Post Swap #3!!

I am honored and excited to have Shelley posting over here today!  Shelley is a Bible college student and Compassion sponsor!  She shares about her adventures on her blog Unforced Rhythms of Grace

I find Christmas pretty strange in some ways, especially now that I'm 'growing up'. Even though I've been a Christian since the age of 13, a lot of my teenage mind was still wrapped up in the idea of presents, good food and more presents. Now I'm a 'grown up' at 21, and as Christmas is literally just around the corner, I can honestly say that the presents aren't that much of a big deal. 

We celebrate Christmas day at church - my family, along with another family that we are very close friends with, cook Christmas dinner for 20-25 people - those in the church who would otherwise be on their own on this special day - and we eat together, the children open presents, we all watch a movie and then we have tea and go home. And it has been through doing this, and spending the holiday with those who often get overlooked, that I've started to realise that there really is so much more to Christmas, and I've learned firsthand a lot more about loving those who society writes off. 

The older I get, the more I'm learning about love, and this year has taught me an especially powerful lesson. Recently, I was listening to the radio and "Drunk" by Ed Sheeran came on. One of the lines in the song says "I'll be drunk again, to feel a little love".

As I get older, I've learned firsthand that I don't need to do anything or be anything to 'get' God's love, because love was born into a stable in a little rundown town over 2,000 years ago.

Shelley

You can read my post (Christmas Blog Swap: Love is an Action | Unforced Rhythms of Grace) over on Shelley's blog - Unforced Rhythms of Grace  Make sure to check out her blog as she's got so many great posts!

A Stop at Bethlehem - Christmas Blog Post Swap #2

It's time for post two of the Christmas blog post swap!  (uh-oh, you know that means Christmas is just 2 weeks away!)

I am thrilled to finally have my sister posting over here!  Rachel is a senior in high school, an intern at on our church's media team, a blogger, a sister, a friend, a pianist, an artist, and most importantly a follower of Jesus!  She blogs at Free and Holy.  Without further adieu, my sis's amazing post -  

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." Matthew 2:5-7

One line, that's all that it get. One phrase -- "there was no place for them in the inn." Do you ever wonder about the innkeeper that night? The man, who was lucky enough to be making a fortune during the Roman census. Everyone was traveling to their birth town, and many needed a place to stay. The innkeeper's business was booming. That evening inside the inn was bright with a cheery hearth and friendly laughter. Childhood friends reunite around the table. For a moment, the people forget about their troubles, the worries that follow them on their journey. And the innkeeper's life, and pocket, is full.

But suddenly, he hears pounding at the door. It's clipped, urgent. Of course, who isn't trying to hurry out of the cold darkness? The innkeeper sends a servant to the door to tell the travelers the bad news. The inn is full. There is no more room. The innkeeper turns back to his guests, but it is only a moment before the servant pulls him away. He beckons him towards the door. Sighing, the innkeeper walks over.

Before he can turn the travelers away, he catches a glimpse of a woman, fear in her eyes, shivering in the cold. She's pregnant. The man at the door asks for a room. He looks scared. Desperate. But there's no room. There's nowhere for them to go.

The woman looks even more tired, more frightened. And the husband begs for a room. They're alone in a town far away from home. And the innkeeper feels bad. Sighing, he looks around. There really is no room. The rooms are packed beyond capacity. In fact, the animals in the stable have more room to sleep than the people... His mind doubles back. He's embarrassed to even mention it. Sleep in a stable? It would be shameful to offer that sort of accommodations. Yet, they won't be able to find a room in Bethlehem. Every bed and floor in the town is full. 

Reluctantly, the innkeeper offers his stable to the anxious couple. They quickly accept. And the innkeeper sheepishly leads them to it.

Everyone makes the innkeeper out as a sort of bad guy, you know? He's the guy who refused a room to the King of Kings. He's the man who didn't have room in his life for the Messiah. But, the truth is, this innkeeper did the best he could, with what he knew. All he knew was that a young couple needed a room. He didn't have one, but he made a way with what he had.

And what if he'd known that God Himself was about to be born in that stable? He would have cleared out that inn and served Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus hand and foot. But he didn't know. So he gave them a stable.

I know. I know Who was born that night. I know how He went and lived, and then died, and rose for me. The question is, do I turn my heart over to Him completely, or am I willing to only give Him a stable -- a tiny portion of my heart? The innkeeper didn't know. But I do. What will I do with what I know? 

I am guesting posting over at Free and Holy today.  Hop over and check it out, and then spend some time reading Rachel's posts too!

Christmas Countdown - Christmas Blog Post Swap #1

For the weeks leading up to Christmas, Hannah, Rachel, Shelley, and I are doing a Christmas Blog Post Swap!

Today, I am excited to have Hannah guest posting!  Hannah is a wife, mom, Compassion sponsor, and Christ-follower.  She blogs at Because of Shamim

Christmas Traditions: Advent

I have many fond memories of Christmas traditions that my family had while I was a kid and thought that I'd share them over this Christmas series! Not only will this allow me to reminisce over my childhood, but it will help me to think through what I would like my kids to experience as traditions! The first tradition that I'd like to share is our tradition of celebrating Advent.

We loved lighting the advent candles in the wreath and that the candles represented different themes of Christmas. My family would set aside time each evening to sing Christmas carols and read a part of the Christmas story. Then we would take turns snuffing the candles. When I was in high-school, my sister and I created Christmas carol song books…one for each family member! I love the old carols…they have such beautiful poetry!

When we were younger, my mom had an advent calendar with pockets for small gifts. One year she put clay in each one and my siblings and I each took a turn opening the clay and making a nativity scene figure. I think I opened the donkey and Mary! Although my son is only 1.5 years old, I am hoping to start this tradition for him this year! My mom gave him a small nativity calendar with pockets and a cloth nativity figure in each pocket! I think I might also put a sticker in each pocket since he's big into stickers.

My family also enjoyed reading fun advent stories. Have you ever heard of the stories Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, and Tabitha's Travels by Arnold Yteeide? These are fun family stories about children who have adventures and whose adventures lead to the child being present right after the birth of Christ. The first story is Jotham's Journey and Jotham turns out to be a distant relative of the Christ child. These stories are fun and exciting for school-age children!

I look forward to incorporating more and more advent themed activities with my children as they get older! And I enjoyed writing to my Compassion kids about our advent tradition of the wreath, singing songs and reading the Christmas story. I shared what each candle stood for and asked our Compassion kids if they had Christmas count-down traditions that helped them remember that Christmas was about Christ's birth!

Do you have any advent traditions?

Hop on over to  Because of Shamim to read my Christmas post (Because of Shamim: Christmas Series), and then spend some time checking out Hannah's blog :)

Compassion Changes Everything!

Today I am so excited to have Jessi guest posting!  She was the author to the 700th comment on my blog.  She is a Compassion sponsor, librarian, wife, and blogger over at Me and Mr. Jones!

I don't think I ever aced a geography quiz. 

When I was a freshman in high school, our history/social studies class focused on geography. My teacher did at least one quiz a week, with fifteen questions, and that thing was the bane of my existence. Studying more would have helped some, but the truth is, I've never been great with maps. I assumed I never would be, honestly. 

Then I started sponsoring a child. In July 2010, six months after I got married, I decided I wanted to sponsor through Compassion. My mom already had two kids at that time, and I wanted to experience sponsorship for myself. After checking with my husband (and after having spent two or three weeks already browsing the photos of waiting kids online), I sat down one morning and brought up the list of kids who were waiting longest. I must have looked at thirty different kids, but I ended up choosing Tasya because her little biography said she liked to read. Reading has been my favorite pastime almost since I was born. My mom is a reader. It's a big part of who I am. I even work at a library! So I chose Tasya, because she was the only kid I ever saw who listed "reading" as a favorite activity. After I completed the process and sent my first letter online, I realized that I had no idea where Tasya lived. My email said she lived in Indonesia, but I didn't know where that was (other than Asia, presumably) and to be honest, I may have told some people that she lived in India. I've heard of Bali and Java, Sumatra and even Sulawesi (because we have Sulawesi babirusas at our local zoo), but I don't think I realized where they were. Tasya and I bonded really quickly- her first letter described the joy her parents felt when they learned she had a sponsor, and I was immediately welcomed as a part of the family. By the second letter, Tasya was calling me "mama" in her native language. A year later, we added three correspondence kids (back then, there was a limit), and now our far-away family consists of three sponsor kids and nine correspondence kids! 

Having a connection to someone who lives in another country is probably the best geography lesson I've ever had. Now I not only can locate Tanzania, Kenya, Haiti, Indonesia, India, Mexico (that one was easy), Peru, Thailand, and Uganda on a map, but I can tell you the capitals, major cities, and demographic details like the average lifespan, common health problems, the state of education in the country and any special issues they may face, like gender inequality. My world has expanded in a big way. I pay as much attention to the news in the countries where my kids live as I do local news. These are my sons and daughters- I know where they live. I know what's going on there, and the problems they're facing. 

I love my kids, and write to them often- usually between two and four times a month. I always assumed that our relationship would be limited to letters. Since this is Lizzie's blog, I won't take up too much space here detailing my personal life, but I have an anxiety disorder that has, throughout my 25 years on this earth, severely limited where and when I travel. I have never been further from "my old Kentucky home" than Florida. Until very recently, I have only ever traveled with my parents or my husband (and even then, we've only taken one trip together- our honeymoon.) Beyond that, I simply don't go anywhere- all because of my panic attacks. I don't drive on the interstate. I don't go very far from my home, even though I've lived in my city of almost a million people my whole life. I never thought that seeing my kids face to face would ever be an option for me. But lately, God has been calling me outside my comfort zone. I kept being drawn to verses like the great commission ("GO" into all the world, not just staying home and writing letters) and song lyrics and phrases ("we are the hands and feet of Jesus", "break my heart for what breaks Yours") that are like a physical push, shoving me out of my comfortable little bubble and out into the world, so I can love my kids and the people around them in person, rather than on paper. I never dreamed that I would travel to Africa for a mission trip-type experience, let alone by myself, but that's where I'm headed next March. I'll be traveling with Compassion to Tanzania, where my boy Said lives (and after making my reservation for the trip, I've since received another correspondence kid there AND started sponsoring another boy there, as well. You can't tell me that they came into my life by coincidence.) I am stepping out in faith in a big way, trusting Jesus to get me there, to provide the financial means to go, and to keep me sane during this whole crazy process! And I cannot wait to see my boys face to face, to hug them and tell them I love them in person. Lizzie speaks truth in her blog title- love is an action. We love these children by sponsoring them, writing to them, and praying for them. Now I'm ready to act on that love in the biggest adventure of my lifetime!

If you would like to put love into action and support Jessi on this amazing adventure of hers, please visit Compassion Tanzania Trip by Jessi Jones - GoFundMe

Pretty Exciting Post Today!

A very sweet Compassion employee has followed along a bit with Cycle4Compassion.  She wanted to write a post about Cycle4Compassion!  It's pretty amazing.  And really exciting!

I hope you will hop on over here - “cycle4compassion – How Riding a Bike Can Help a Child” | Create Compassion  And while you are there, check out the rest of createcompassion.org cause it's pretty awesome!

I have been touched by the love of God and the love of God flows through me

Emily, the author to the 500th comment on my blog, will be guest posting today!  I am so excited to have her here today.  She is such an inspiration :)  Emily enjoys writing letters, taking pictures, and reading.  She loves Jesus most of all.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:10 (NIV) 

This verse is a well known one. We can see the connection to Christ's suffering for us. Even Paul tells us that Jesus lay down His life for us in Romans 5:8. 

The verse prior to John 15:10 sheds meaning on what Jesus was getting at: 

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:9 (NIV) 

We are touched by the love of God, and the love of God flows through us to others. We are to lay down our lives for others as God laid down His life for us. Christ gave us life through his death on the cross, and we have the joy of sharing His love with others and living it out. 

God brought me into His family in January of 2007 when I realized that, without Him, I was going to hell. He had touched my family a few years prior, delivering my mum from demon possession, but it wasn't until I recognized my personal need for Him that He personally affected my life. 

In the years that have passed, God's love continues to affect me deeply and, as I get to know Him better, He flows His love through me to others more and more. 

One of the ways I have seen Him do this is through my Compassion girls. 

I first became a sponsor in May of 2012. God showed me that I had enough allowance money to sponsor a child, and I became the doting sponsor of a little girl in Ethiopia. Within in two months, I had a correspondent child in Colombia. At the end of that 2012 I co sponsored another child in Ethiopia. In April of this year, I became a correspondent sponsor to three more girls in the Dominican Republic, and just recently added an Ecuadorian girl and a Tanzanian girl to my family.

It is God's command to His children to care for those in need and to share His love with those who don't know it. We are made in His image, and are called to walk in the ways of His Heart.
As we get to know God, we are transformed into His image.

Get to know God, and see what He will do with you when you are willing!

Honor and Sprinkles

I am excited to have Breanne from A Quest for Truth (and Sprinkles) guest posting today!  She is the author to the 600th comment on my blog :)

Breanne is a Compassion sponsor and correspondent.  She loves God most of all, and she also enjoys being around people, writing, and coffee.

Sitting at a short brown table, I looked around at the young faces, some looking at me, some rustling through the books in front of them. 

“What do you think?” I repeated. “How can we show someone honor, show them that we find them valuable?” 

It was a difficult concept for kindergartners to grasp, but I wasn’t daunted. I waited.
Finally, one hand went up. I called on him. 

“You just tell them,” one child said, looking up at me from the seat beside me. And he was right. 

** 

I’m always amazed at the lessons I learn from teaching a class of kindergarten and first graders. Often easily distracted, they still often see straight to the heart of issues. When we discussed showing people honor, explained as showing them that you love them and see value in them, they understood that loving people is an action. 

That was the story I thought of when Lizzie first asked me to guest post on her blog. I first came across Lizzie’s blog when I heard about her beautiful sponsor bracelets then again during Compassion Blog month. I am always excited to read about other sponsorship journeys and gather ideas from other sponsors about how to further bless my own Compassion children. And I love her theme of “Love is an Action,” because that’s what the Christian life is all about. 

For me, and for many other Compassion sponsors, the command to “Love the Lord with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27) is lived out, in one way, through loving and honoring children across the globe. Our love is not passive, a tossing of money at a problem. The core of our love is the action it takes to write, to encourage, to “just tell” these kids that they are valuable to us and that their life and dreams matter. 

My students and I finished our class time together by going around the circle and affirming each student: I encouraged those who are good at including new people; a couple students said they appreciate when another student played games with them; that one student tries really hard to make good decisions; one girl gives the best hugs. Hearing these words leaves a lasting impact on anyone, but especially a child. 

Children enrolled in Compassion’s program are no different. I tell my sponsored kids that I’m proud of their hard work in school, that I appreciate the time they take to draw pictures for me, that I support their dreams to be doctors and teachers. But this love and honor shouldn’t stop with these kids. It should permeate my every interaction with anyone. That’s speaking Truth into the hearts of those around me. 

My blog is called “The Quest for Truth (and Sprinkles),” referring to my passion for using my writing to look for God’s Truth in the everyday as well as the beauty, the unexpected “sprinkles” of blessings He brings. I know someone’s affirming words to me are definitely sprinkles in my day. Will you join me in spreading some sprinkles in lives this week?
How can we show someone honor? We just tell them. 

I also ask my readers to share sprinkle sightings in the comments, so if Lizzie doesn’t mind, I’d invite you to keep an eye out and share your day’s sprinkles with us!

I look forward to hearing about your day's sprinkles! :)  (You'll be blessed by reading her blog!)

Guest Posting!! :)

Today, I am posting over at Compassion Family!  Jill is the author of that blog (and many others!).  Her blog is one of the first I followed, and whenever she posts, I read it right away.  She is such a generous and thoughtful person.  She's been such a blessing in my life :)

Anyway, guest posting for the second time over there!  You can read it here - Compassion Family: Compassion Sponsor Bracelets

And make sure to check out the rest of her blog because it is awesome!!

Hop on Over

I feel so blessed to be posting at Shelley's today.  She surprised me big-time when she asked me to guest post on her blog.....about living for Jesus as a young person!

You can read the post here-
my grace is sufficient for you | Unforced Rhythms of Grace

And make sure to check out the rest of her blog, cause it is pretty awesome :)

Thanks Shelley!!

How Will You Use Your Power?

I have been so blessed by your comments!  I can hardly believe that it has been less than a year, and I have had over 400 comments now!  And I treasure all your words.

Today, I am very happy to have Rebecca from She Becomes guest post!  She was the author to the 400th comment on this blog.  Rebecca has a heart children.  She loves on  and advocates for kiddos with special needs.  Please check out She Becomes..., where Rebecca speaks up for those who cannot speak for themselves! (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Thank you, Rebecca, for this great reminder-

In the back of my Bible I have a list that I read regularly. A list of words, spoken to me by others, that have encouraged me or challenged me in a positive way. Some of these words were from people I know well, but most of them were from acquaintances. A few of these quotes don't even have a name next to them, as they were spoken to me by strangers. These words have pushed me towards pursuing my dreams, seeking God’s will for my life, and at times have given me the boost of courage I need to face my fears.  

At night when I lay down to sleep there are other words that run through my mind. They pop up, without warning, and are almost impossible to silence. Words that have cut me down and made me feel less than whole. And then at times my own words run through my head, some spoken years ago, that I wish I could take back.

Words are powerful.

Over the last several months, as I have been facing a challenging and stressful time in my life, I have found myself even more sensitive to the words that are spoken to me. Just a few of them, strung together, have the power to help me through the day or turn me into a puddle of tears.
Just today I got a note of encouragement and a small gift from a friend, and it lifted my spirit to say the least.

 

As a result of the profound power of words on my own life, I have made a goal to be more intentionally encouraging, supportive, and positive with my own words. I have discovered there is not a kindness switch that I can simply turn on or off. To be more intentional with my words, it starts with being more intentional in prayer, meditation, and time in The Word.

"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." -Luke 6:45 

I work with students with special needs, and just as I hope that the words and tone that I use can lift them up and support their dreams, I hope that I will use the opportunities that God gives me to do the same for my coworkers, friends, family, the barista at Starbucks, the cashier at the grocery store, my Compassion kids, or the teenager who sits behind me at church.

You never know what someone is going through, and how your words may impact their day, and maybe their life.

ComPASSION: God’s Story Which Kind of Includes Me

My friend Hannah was the author to my 299th comment!  I usually do guest posts on the hundredth comment, but that was me.  So that would have been weird!  Anyway, Hannah is 16 and passionate for Compassion.  She loves her sponsored children with her whole heart.  You can find her on OurCompassion HERE. 

“Let the little children come to me.” The words rang in my ears as I turned the Compassion International brochure over in my hands. I had wanted to do this for so long. My heart burned with passion for giving children hope.

“God,” I said, “I think this is what you want me to do…but I am a doubter. So provide me with enough money for a quarterly payment and I will do this.”
I set the brochure down, trying to close the picture of the little girl on the front out of my head.

But God is forever faithful. I collected together the money that I had saved and had my mom write me a check. Then I took the little brochure out of my drawer again. Quickly, so I wouldn’t change my mind, I tore out the “Yes! I want to release a child from poverty in Jesus’ name!” paper and grabbed a pen to fill out my personal information. That was easy. I flipped it over and my pen hung in midair over the “Boy/Girl” checkboxes. Oh how I wanted to check “Girl”. I had always wanted a little sister. Always. But I felt that gentle nudge to check, “Either”. God, please, I thought. I really, really want this to be my little sister.
“No. Check ‘Either’. Trust me.”

So I did. Followed by “Any age” and “Any location”. All the while thinking, I hope You know what You’re doing here, God.

Then I sealed it up and sent it off.

A week or so passed. Then, in the mail was a large enveloped addressed to me, saying, “Your Sponsorship Information Inside”!

I slowly tore it open. For a second, my heart drooped as I saw the name “Bryan”. But then I saw his picture and stopped. He looked so scared, with his hands pressed tightly against his sides and his eyes wide as they stared at the camera.

Okay, I thought. Another little brother it is.
I came into the process with little knowledge of how Compassion works, but I quickly guzzled up all the information I could get. As I read the pamphlet of information on Bryan, I seriously thought, I can WRITE to Bryan?! TOO COOL! So write him I did. I made it a habit to write once a month.

Then there was a tug on my heartstrings. My relationship with Bryan was already blooming through letters and simply the love I began to carry for that little boy.

But I knew I could do more. I prayed about it, but I knew financially I couldn’t take on a sponsorship.
But I could help. I got together with a few of my friends and we sponsored the beautiful Maria, in Guatemala like Bryan. I wrote her letters when I wrote Bryan. Her letters began to pour in and my heart nearly exploded! Nine years old and already writing on EXTRA paper?! This girl is amazing!
Slowly, my Compassion family continued to grow as I learned through OC about the correspondence program and received Stephen in Ghana, Alex in Guatemala, Jemiratou in Burkina Faso, and Nahomi in Mexico.
But, getting a wonderful job, I felt like I could take on another sponsorship.

So I began to browse the Compassion website. I had a list of potentials…but I didn’t know if my heart was fully in it. So I took the advice many offered me, and I waited.

October 2012 rolled around and God gave me a dream. In it, I went to Bangladesh (a country I had given very little thought to previously). When I got off the plane, a little girl was waiting for me. She proceeded to act as my guide and answer all my questions. But when I asked her if the Bible was in her language, her answer was muffled.

The next morning I decided to get on Compassion’s website to see if my dream was anywhere near realistic. As I looked through the Bangladeshi kids, I thought to myself, Man, my dream was pretty accurate. The people in my dream looked a lot like this.

Then my heart stopped and my jaw literally dropped as tears flooded into my eyes. My sister, who was sitting across from me, said, “What? What is it?”

I made some wild gestures, then pointed at my computer scream, and then blurted, “Look! It’s the little girl from my dream! I can’t believe it! She’s wearing the same clothes and everything!

Of course, she didn’t know what I was talking about really, but my mind was whirling too much to explain.

And so, the beautiful Bangladeshi girl, my Shathi, was sponsored. Every time I see her face on my account, I think, God does care. For some reason, He preordained that Shathi and I would be together.

And all of the sudden, I was completely overwhelmed by the love of God.

And the love of these kids.

Some days I have to question, am I really the sponsor? Because I am the one who feels blessed. Every time I go to the post office and there is a cream colored envelope addressed to me, my heart leaps and my hands shake as I read the words of a child from halfway across the world, who is praying for me, thinking about me, and is taking the time to write letters to me. It’s often the encouragement I need right then and there.

God really does know what He’s doing. 

A Compassion Journey

Today, I am going to share a guest post by Hannah with you.  She was the author to the 200th comment on my blog!  Hannah is a math professor.  She lives with husband and one year old son, Juanito.  You can find her at Because of Shamim, where she blogs about Compassion and her sponsored children.

I thought I'd share how I was introduced to Compassion! Before my parents met, they came to Christ and were introduced to Compassion. They each started sponsoring a child….one had a child from South Korea and another had a child from Burma! Shortly after they were married, Compassion left both countries (South Korea because they no longer needed help and Burma because the political situation was so bad). And so they were assigned Margaret, from Kenya, and Aaron, from the Philippines. 

So I grew up hearing about Margaret and Aaron, writing them letters, praying for them and considering them my older siblings. Margaret and Aaron always remembered my siblings and I in their letters and we had so much fun writing to them and drawing them pictures! When I was in middle school, Margaret graduated Compassion's program and she now works as a seamstress. Aaron graduated Compassion's program also and began studies at the university. My parents then added two more kids--Leslie from Peru and Lazaro from Tanzania. 

While I enjoyed writing to my parents' kids, I wanted my own sponsored child! So when my parents hosted a Compassion Sunday at our church, I studied those child packets. I was about 11 years old and most of the kids available were 5, 6 and 7. But there was a 10-year-old girl named Shamim. Shamim was from Uganda. I begged my parents to let me sponsor her and they agreed to pay me for chores so that I could afford her! (When I sponsored Shamim, it was $24 a month…when my youngest brother started sponsoring as a middle-schooler, it was up to $38 a month…my mom complains that her chore pay-scale had to go up due to inflation!) 

I worked so hard to sponsor Shamim, and Shamim and I are still in touch even though she graduated! She's a dear sister to me. And my experience with her was such that when I got my first real job, I added 3 more girls…and then 2 more boys…and then my husband's boy when we were married…and then a boy and a girl this past year! 

And that's how God led me down this wonderful road of sponsoring through Compassion!

Don't forget to check out Hannah's blog HERE!

Just Grab the Vinegar

Today, Sonja Oswalt will be guest posting! She's been married to her sweetheart Chris for eleven years. She works for the US Forest Service as an ecologist and dances in her free time. Sonja is a wonderful mom to her 2.5 year old son Michael. You can go check out her amazing blog where she shares about Compassion and life HERE.

Every year in February I start to get this urge to clean. I guess it's a spring cleaning thing, or maybe it's that it's cold outside and I'm stuck inside staring at the hairballs my dogs have deposited on and under every stationary surface. 

Either way, this is no small "I think the floor needs a good sweeping" thing I'm talking about here. It becomes a near-obsession for me. I begin to daydream about it at work, planning where I'm going to take my bags of old clothes and piles of old magazines, and thinking of how fabulous I'm going to feel when there's nothing left of my living room but the (clean) carpet and furniture.  Truthfully, I feel claustrophobic surrounded by lots of stuff. Puffy pillows and fuzzy blankets start to crowd in on me until I'm suffocating under all the coziness. Bits and pieces of the hobbies occupying the long winter evenings commandeer tabletops and counters, frazzling my nerves by their very presence. I can barely stand it, being closed in, trapped by the cold outside into my cave of stuff. 

It's in the midst of this planned attack on the dirt in my surroundings that I become particularly vulnerable to marketing. Marketers know what they are doing, and let me tell you, I am a real sucker for advertising and pretty packaging. So when I opened up the Sunday paper this week and the Target ad showcased a full page of luscious house cleaning products, it was all I could do to avoid running full-throttle to my local store for a hefty supply of dust-busting miracle solutions sure to restore my home to a deep clean. Never mind that I have a closet full of them already...

The problem with these miracle cleaning products is that no matter what they have in them, they still require a person on the other end to actually apply the product and wipe it off. In other words, a bottle of mop and glo won't actually apply the mop to the floor for me. That still requires me. Darn. And regardless of the hype on the bottle, I've come to realize after almost 2 decades of living on my own that pretty much nothing works any better than 1)vinegar 2)baking soda 3)lemon juice and 4)olive oil. I mean, it's hard to imagine, but there really was life before Chlorox disposable wipes in the round tub.

So I stared at the ads in the paper and drooled over the bottle of "natural cleaner" (vinegar based, by the way) and noted it's price tag...$5. FIVE DOLLARS!!!! I can get a whole GALLON of white vinegar for half that price. What's the difference? A little added water, a bit of fragrance (that's where the lemon juice comes in), and some pretty packaging. Good grief. So...to achieve the clean of my dreams, according to my local Sunday ads, I need to shell out: $5 for the pretty bottle of natural cleaner, $5 for a tub of Chlorox wipes, $4 for some Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner, $4 for a bottle of Windex, $5 for some stainless steel cleaner for my fridge, $7 for some pledge furniture wipes, $8 for hardwood floor cleaner,...the list is, literally, endless. But I will stop here because, guess what??? The total for the products I "need" to clean my home thus far comes to $38. The cost of FEEDING A CHILD for a month.
Guess what works just as well as the fancy cleaners? That's right. Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and olive oil. They last for months, and are safe for your family and the environment, and they don't take up nearly as much space in your cabinet.

And guess what you can do with all that money you save every month? That's right! You can feed a child, clothe a child, share the blessed love of Jesus Christ with a child. Last time I checked, Jesus wasn't running his finger across the top of my china cabinet to see how dusty it is...but he was checking to see if dust is accumulating on my spirit, or if I'm renewing my heart and soul by helping those he has called us to help. So this spring...toss the ads, grab the vinegar, and renew your spirit by helping one of the little ones Jesus loves!

Sponsor a child with Compassion for exactly $38 a month!

Don't forget to check out Sonja's blog Conspiracy of Love.

Christmas and Compassion by Jill

Hello, all!

Today I am going to share a very special interview with you.  Jill's blog Compassion Family is one of the first I followed.  She has been such a blessing in my life and has inspired me so much!  I hope you enjoy and learn from this interview.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have been married to Kevin since 1996 and we have two daughters, Sydney and Kayleigh. We have moved quite a bit in those 16 years ~ having lived in 7 states and 12 different homes!
I am a violinist and love to teach kids to play. I currently have a very small studio with only seven students (two of whom are Sydney and Kayleigh) because I most of my time goes into homeschooling my girls.
I have been a Compassion sponsor for 18 years and love everything about this ministry. I sponsored my first child (Judith in Kenya) when I was in college and very quickly realized the impact sponsorship had on her life. I soon became an advocate and haven't looked back.
I love to read, garden, run, take photos and hike. 

What is your favorite part about being a Compassion sponsor?

I love the opportunity we have to have a real, one on one relationship with a child in another country. It takes time, but through regular letter writing, a real relationship is established and after many years it's a beautiful thing. I love how God uses sponsorship to bless both the child being sponsored and the sponsor. When I first became a sponsor, I had NO IDEA how it would impact me. I have learned so much about what it means to be a Christ follower through the simple act of sponsorship. God has used the ministry of Compassion International to teach me so many things. 

Why do you blog about Compassion?

I first started blogging about Compassion as a means to share our sponsorship story as well as advocate for children still waiting for sponsors. I used to just write on our family blog, but we eventually decided to make that blog private and only open to family and friends since we posted so many details about our girls and our daily lives. About two years ago I wanted a new focus for my advocacy and really have a desire to encourage others, families in particular, to pursue sponsorship as a family. In my own family life, sponsorship was my thing and the rest of the family wasn't that involved. I really wanted to change that and embrace the ministry of Compassion as our family mission. Out of that vision, Compassion Family was born. I'm very intentional about including my own young girls in the sponsorship experience and hope that comes through on my blog. I love to connect new sponsors with children, but I also love to encourage and inspire current sponsors in what they are already doing.  

Do you have any Christmas traditions involving Compassion?  If so, what are they?

We have all our Compassion kids' photos in ornament frames and hang them on our tree. I've also slowly been collecting ornaments that come from the countries Compassion works in. I don't have many yet, but I have a wooden owl I got in Peru that I love. We also have a little guitar ornament that came from my husband's trip to Nicaragua earlier this year.
The other thing we do every year is make a countdown chain and write our Compassion kid's name on each strip. Everyday we pray specifically for that child as we take their link off the chain and countdown to Christmas. 

What does "enough" mean to you?

I always think of Proverbs 30:7-9...."Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die. Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?'"
I love this because this person is crying out - don't give me too little, but don't give me too much. It seems both poverty and abundance play a role in keeping us from God.  I am blessed beyond measure and certainly have too much when it comes to material possessions, but I'm working on this. I am fascinated by and drawn to the minimalist lifestyle because by paring down my material possessions, I can learn to be satisfied with less. I also love Philippians 4:12 ~ "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  I have so much to learn in this area and these scriptures help me know how to pray for growth. 

How do you focus on Jesus during Christmastime?

Honestly, it isn't any different than any time of the year. My deepest desire as a mother is that my girls will choose to follow Jesus in all they do, and I'm very intentional about making our lives all about Jesus. It seems very natural to focus on Christ this time of the year. We chose not to do the whole Santa thing when the girls were very young, but we don't ban the idea either. We talk a lot about how Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ and how we can give gifts to him by giving to the least of these. We have a Veggie Tales video that tells the story of St. Nicholas and how he gave gifts to the poor, so it all ties in nicely with our ministry with Compassion.  

If you could give anything to your Compassion children for Christmas, what would it be?

Hope. I would love to be able to stand (or kneel) in front of each child, wrap my arms around them and tell them how much I love them, how much God loves them and how special they are - how much potential they have. I want to fill their hearts and head with messages of hope so they can rise above their circumstances and know they have value and worth in God's eyes.

Don't forget to hop on over to Compassion Family and say "hi" to Jill!

#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

From Her Perspective

Hello!

Today, my sister Belle is going to share her thoughts about cycle4compassion.  Cycle4compassion is a bike-a-thon to raise money to support a Compassion sponsored boy, Mainor.  To read more about cycle4compassion please to my page dedicated to that HERE.

Tell me a little about yourself.   

 My name is Belle.  I am nine.  I like to ride my bike, swim, play guitar, and help my grandparents. 

 What did you think about cycle4compassion before you rode?

 I thought that it was a cool idea to get sponsors to raise money for Compassion.  I also thought that it would be cool if we could sponsor a kid, which we did!

How did you feel when you asked people for donations? 

 I was very nervous.  I actually screwed up a little.  I was really happy when people donated. 

Tell me about your ride.

I rode fifteen kilometers, which was four times around our block.  The last time around nearly killed my legs.  Every time I went up a hill, my right leg really hurt.  When it got hard, I remembered that I was helping Mainor.

What did you learn by participating in cycle4compassion? 

 I learned that hard work is good.  I also learned that every dollar counts.

Change a life!
Lizzie :)