Life's Love

It's time for me to start updating more often.

The problem is... well, there are so many excuses I could list.

Too busy. Not enough time. Out of topics.

But the truth is, you make time for what is important.

And I'm finding that as I get older, I truly cherish my memories, and a lot of my memories are only recorded in my writing.

Fortunately, I can also record a lot of my memories with the camera. And while a picture can paint a thousand words, a picture can't remind me how I felt. Or exactly what I did, or what I learned. A picture can show you something; but it can't talk. A picture is open to interpretation; a written entry tells you straight up.

SO. In an effort to start writing more, I decided to write tonight.

I started this book called "Kisses from Katie." It's a true-life story about a girl who gives up every comfort she had in the U.S. to become a children's missionary in Uganda. I'm not very far into it, but I can already tell it's going to make me want to book a trip back to Africa very soon.

The thing is, though... I love Africa. I loved my experiences there, and I have it on my heart to continue to travel throughout my life to different countries and places of need.

But. I am reading the words on the pages of this book... words that speak of how the Lord placed within her heart an instant love for these children. I read about how she never asked for this, never signed up for it, but it just happened and it's real and it's right. How she could look past the filth and disease and see instead a child who needs to be loved.

And I can readily compare it to how I feel with the prison ministry in which I am involved. It seems so similar, because in a way, I never asked to be passionate about prisoners. I have no reason at all to want to connect with them, no hidden story that makes me similar to them. But I do, and somehow, every time I visit the jail... I just feel a love for the women there. A love that is outside of myself, a love that comes from Christ. A love that wants to reach out and teach, and talk and pray.

A love that I feel like Katie has for the children in Uganda.

And a love I feel like everyone individual living for Christ has inside of them. A love worth giving.

For some people, that love is being given to their biological children, and/or adopted children. For others, that love pours out to an employee at work, or the homeless. And even still, for some, that love gets plugged into giving financially to a wonderful cause or to taking several mission trips a year or for ministering to pregnant women who want an abortion or to the little 6-year-old kid on the playground who is bullied every single day.

I'm not sure how God has assigned that Love in each one of us to work; all that I know, is that He does. And as a believer, I have a tremendous responsibility AND opportunity to give that Love. To serve Him, and to do it daily.

I was reminded recently of the time when we will appear before the throne of God in Heaven... the time when He reviews my life and takes into account everything I did or did not do for Christ.

And I suddenly felt ill.

Not because I was afraid I would be missing a few important jewels on my crown, but because the thought of appearing before the Lord of the Universe with only the life I have lived on Earth to offer terrifies me. It caused me to review my life-- what HAVE I done for Him? It's not that I have done nothing, but have I really done everything I can?

And it's not that we are all called to give up our life and travel to a third world country, but am I even recognizing and taking the avenues to Love on a daily basis? AM I? Because in the end, I answer to that.

When I appear before God, the Ruler of my Heart, I want to know that to the best of my ability, I did everything I could to live for Him, no matter what that takes.

Because at the end of the day, my home is in Heaven, and I want to see as many souls there as I see here.

Love you all!

T