Category Archives: Spiritual Growth

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A Journey into Compassion

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This week, I took my children to India, Uganda, and Bolivia. We only visited each country for 30 minutes each, but we were impacted in a powerful way through the lives and conditions that we encountered.

How is this possible? The Compassion Experience, run by Compassion International, offers the opportunity to witness poverty firsthand without ever leaving the country.

“Change the Story” as an “interactive, immersive display allows you to step into the life of a child who has suffered under the crippling weight of poverty.” Thank God, it doesn’t end there.

In each thirty minute journey with a child, we had the chance to hear their stories – how they moved from deep poverty, fear, and pain to a place of provision, care, and love.

Stories of Great Impact

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As we followed each child’s journey, we were taken into rooms designed to look as similar to their real homes as possible, with authentic pieces of furniture, decorations, and memories. We saw how one child’s family huddled together at night in a room that is 1/4 the size of my kitchen.

They had no beds. No carpet. Only a dirt floor and two chairs – one chair they took turns sleeping in each night and the other they used to prop against the door to keep drunken and drug-induced men from breaking in.

A young boy – the same age as one of my daughters – shined shoes at the market all day just to make enough money to have one meal per day. Alas, often the money he did make was stolen by others. This meant that many days, he didn’t eat at all.

But then something happened to change his circumstances.

Or rather, someone did.

A couple from the United States decided to sponsor this child through Compassion International and he was able to find a place of peace and provision – and most importantly, to learn about the love that Jesus has for him and for all children.

He experienced what it was to be truly loved – through the director of the Center and his sponsors in the States, who wrote him letters regularly in addition to supplying him with monthly support.

He began to believe that he could have a better life and has gone on to walk out of a life of poverty and into the great plan of God’s provision for him. He is just one story of thousands that need to be told.

Why You Should Sponsor an Orphan

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Throughout the last several years, we have sponsored orphans in the countries of Sudan, India, and the Philippines. We placed their pictures on our refrigerator to remind us to pray for them.

While supplying what they need for food and education, I wish we would have written those children more letters to tell them that God loves them. That He has a plan for their lives. That they can overcome great challenges and odds and make a difference in this world.

For any children that we sponsor in the future, this is what I will do differently.

There are many different organizations that have sponsorship programs for children. We personally have sponsored children through Love-n-Care Ministries in India and Harvesters Reaching the Nations in Sudan, to name a few.

Today I will highlight Compassion International since they are the ones who sponsor the Compassion Experience we walked through this week.

For only $38/month, you can sponsor one of 100,000 children from all over the world who are waiting for a sponsor through this organization.

$38 a month in our area is less than the cost of a dinner out for two adults, but this small amount of money can change a child’s life forever.

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required

You may have heard this line several times, I know. “For only $X/month, you can make a difference in a child’s life.” But after walking through the Compassion Experience this week, I am reminded that this is not just a sales pitch. This is the TRUTH.

And there are thousands of lives waiting –

waiting to be “pulled out of the ash heap” and into a place of safety and provision.

waiting to have the love of Christ demonstrated to them in a tangible way.

waiting to believe that someone could love them.

waiting to be told and shown that they are children of God -children of great worth.

Each thirty minute story in our journey through the Compassion Experience ended with the same scripture: “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

I know I have been given much and therefore much will be required of me. What will I do with what is in my hand to give? What will you do with what is in yours?

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The Purpose of Anger

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I have a confession to make: I never knew my own capacity for anger until I had children. Now don’t get me wrong – I know that we adults can be pretty difficult, too. But we have just learned (usually) that it isn’t socially acceptable to throw a temper tantrum when we don’t get our way or cry for an entire hour when we drop our ice cream cone on the floor.

Living with anyone will bring its challenges and living with lots of little people brings a myriad of relational issues and conflicts that are often accompanied by a strong emotion called anger.

I’ve learned as the primary caregiver for little people that my often even-keel personality can begin to simmer on a level of low-grade irritability that impacts everyone around me – especially my children.

When Anger Steals Our Joy

One night while I was lying in bed, ready to fall asleep, I thought to myself “This is not okay. I don’t want to be so easily irritated!”

I realized that when I harbored anger in my heart, my joy was being stolen and anger was keeping me from enjoying and fully embracing these precious little ones that God has entrusted to me to shepherd towards His heart.

I also recognized that while I cannot change myself, I need not feel helpless. God would never ask us to “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31) if it were not possible through the power of His Spirit working within us.

One of my closest friends who also has small children suggested that we read a book together called “Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids.”

Um, yes please! I was won over by the title alone.

The Greater Purpose of Anger

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A great truth that I have learned while reading this book is quite simple: Anger is a flag to us that something is wrong and we need to do something about it. Anger doesn’t tell us what is wrong; we have to take time to identify the real issue behind our anger before we can do anything about it.

While anger is a good and useful emotion to identify when something is wrong, it is not helpful for solving problems. This is biblical: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God“ James 1:19-20.

I am learning that when I find myself irritated and smoldering within, I need to pause and ask myself some basic questions:

What is the real problem? Am I angry about something that is being internally stimulated (perhaps my own inward struggle with something) or outwardly stimulated (by one child hitting another or traffic when I am already late).

What is an appropriate response to the issue at hand? Speaking in a loud and harsh tone to my kids does not solve the problem of my children running and wrestling in the kitchen while I am trying to cook dinner. It only compounds the issue.

Perhaps an appropriate response would be to calmly explain that it is not safe for them to run in close proximity to a hot stove and give them clear direction as to where they can safely play, laying out straightforward consequences if there is a failure to comply.

5 Main Reasons for Our Anger

Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, the authors of “Good and Angry,” identify 5 main causes of anger: Physical Pain, Blocked Goals, Violated Rights, Unfairness, Unmet Expectations.

Taking a few minutes to identify which of these is most often the cause of our anger can be the first step to identifying a healthy way to respond.

Do you often find yourself irritated or angry but are unsure how you can see change? God does not condemn you but offers you a way out through His grace and the power of His Holy Spirit.

He’s given us emotions as gifts that can bring glory to Him when they are used appropriately.

When and in what circumstances do you most often find yourself becoming angry? What are your triggers? What might be an appropriate response for those situations?

Here’s the bottom line: Anger can serve as a friend rather than an enemy when we allow it to signal a problem rather than solve it.

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The Marks of a Real-Life Hero

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We all remember the photos of the fire-fighters running into the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 while the people inside were running out. Hundreds of them lost their lives that day as they responded to the call of duty. By laying down their own lives, they were able to rescue many from imminent death.

There were true heroes.

What Makes a Hero?

Watching little boys and girls dress up like superheroes speaks a loud message to those of us who are parents – kids are inspired by those who “save the day,” are “strong, brave, and courageous” and “help other people.”

Kids (and all of us) are looking for examples to follow – people who are human and fallible, but make choices to be courageous in the face of fear and take great personal risks to love and serve others.

While many children’s heroes are fictional characters in comic strips and movies, real life heroes still exist and they are all around us every single day, if we have the eyes to see. You will know them by their fruit.

A Real Hero Saves and Protects Lives

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Real Heroes value life. They value all of humanity. They strive to save and preserve life whenever possible.

A Real Hero Fights Injustice and Evil

Fighting evil and injustice is not only for men and women on the front lines of a battlefield. It is also a war waged through word of mouth, writing, acts of service, standing in solidarity with those who are oppressed.

A Real Hero is Self-Sacrificing

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Men and women of courage and character often end up denying and sacrificing themselves so that others may grow and live. They may even choose to enter situations that put their own lives at risk in order to serve or rescue someone else. In the moment of decision, they say “no” to selfishness and “yes” to service.

A Real Hero is Humble

Being a “Real Life Hero” isn’t about being perfect, but acknowledging weakness and drawing on the strength of God to empower them for the task at hand. These role models aren’t arrogant or proud, but humbly recognize that they are but one person, doing the good that they can with the one life they have been given.

A Real Hero Relies on God and Others

Real heroes aren’t isolated islands apart from the rest of humanity. They acknowledge that anything they accomplish that is deemed “heroic” in nature came through the ability and strength that God has given them and often through the assistance and help of others around them.

Unsung Heroes

Most Real-Life Heroes are never written up, read about, commemorated with medals, or even acknowledged by others. But they aren’t doing it for those reasons anyways.

The coolest thing to consider is that all of us can, by God’s grace, seek to grow in these character qualities. You don’t have to be a first responder, medical doctor, missionary, or soldier to lay down your life for others and be courageous.

Christ: The Greatest Hero of All Time

Christ came for one purpose – not “to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He emptied Himself of “Superhero” status when he became human and wrapped himself in flesh that could bleed and cry, just like the rest of us.

He lived not for Himself but only “to do the will of My father in Heaven.” He laid down His life for us and provided an example of sacrificial love so that we might follow in His steps.

If you know an “unsung hero” – someone who lives to serve and lovingly sacrifice for others – perhaps take a moment today to write them a note of thanks or give them a call. As Romans 13:7 says, “Pay to all what is owed them…respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

 

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