Bullets to my Soul

Howdy People!

I'd like to share this picture.

I love this picture. S can see what I see, even though she doesn't understand it, but she loves the view. I try to imagine what that was like. She's taken from her normal world (everything from 3ft) to something strange, but fun and exciting (everything from 7ft). We were at the Taste of Forsyth. I knew that she didn't really know how to hold on yet, so I was holding her up by her legs, but even if she did, I wouldn't let go. Without knowing it, she had complete trust in my abilities to keep her safe.

There was so much stuff there for her to see. As she looked around from that high, she probably saw the bounce-o-rama on the other side of the parking lot. She also might have seen the band, the balloons, and any number of things. What S didn't understand was the amount of time and energy (either on my shoulders, in the stroller, or walking) that it would take to make the journey.

As a Christian, it's hard for me not to state the similarities to our lives, mainly our relationship to the Heavenly Father. Many times, at least in my life, I have felt as if I didn't understand anything. I could walking holding His hand, or in a stroller (completely helpless). I may feel close to the Father, he may even have me on His massive shoulders, but the world just looks strange from any of these points. I hold on tight, even though I know He has me in His hands. When I am that close, I can feel His compassion for me. I can feel how He longs to be with all His children, and to take care of them.

From His shoulders, I can see where I want to be. I can see helping the poor, adopting more children, helping human trafficking victims, and enjoying time with Jesus in heaven (what I call the bounce-o-rama for adults). I just don't know how I am going to get there. Sometimes, I can feel Him leading me closer, and other times, the destination feels so far away. It's probably because I thought I could get there faster by running away and doing my own thing, only to get lost in the world, then crying out for Him to find me again.

There's a word I want to focus on. Compassion. Compassion is defined as a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Jesus felt compassion for the people. Three times the word compassion is used in Matthew, twice in reference to people's suffering. Basically, he saw hungry people and fed them. 4,000 one time and 5,000 another time. The first time he uses compassion is when Jesus sees this crowd of people trying to get somewhere, but they don't have the right leaders or the right goals, so He began to teach them the truth.

Like my God, I feel compassion for these children with no homes, no families, no hope, and no savior. Jesus doesn't first recognize that He is "loving others" (2nd greatest commandment) in order to "love God" (1st greatest commandment), He just does. I've had conversations about too much focusing on "loving others" but the Bible says Jesus felt compassion for these people, then, as the definition says, alleviated their suffering. I think it's because of my relationship with the Father that I have this passionate desire to rescue these children with no families. I want to let them know, they can have a family, and they can be a part of a much bigger family of God. There is a video of a song on YouTube. Here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4eZybIXpm8 - The lonely children out there are like bullets to my soul.

In Luke 15: 1-7, Jesus tells the people of the lost sheep that was found, and that all of heaven rejoiced. This journey we embarked on in January of 2008 has had many rejoicing moments brought about by S. I have just a glimpse of what our Father in heaven feels when a child returns to Him. And I cannot wait to experience it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and... you get the picture. It may not be in our near future, but it may be in our near future. I do not know what God has in store for our family, I do not understand what we can see, I know Kelly and I are compassionate for children, and I know our journey is not complete until we reach the pearly gates, so until then we await His call.

God is waiting for you too. He wants to carry you on His shoulders. He wants to take tare of you. Most of all He wants you not to perish. God provided a way not to perish, but first we have to understand why we are perishing. God's law, the Ten Commandments (and other various laws), are the standard. Most of us have lied, or lusted after people, or worshiped something other than God. Since we have broken the law, we are subject to God's punishment. God's punishment for sin is death, eternal death in a place called Hell. The way out is adoption into His family. Adoption has a steep price. The adoption of the world cost the death of Jesus Christ, God's son. Our choice is to repent of our ways and trust in God's sacrifice for us. That's the first step into joining God's family. There is no prayer, there is no altar, there is only your choice. I pray for you who read this, and I pray that your choice is made to join the Kingdom of God. Remember this, no matter what, I love you, and so does God.