growing up, my mom had this book that was always in her bathroom. it sat on the corner of the large garden tub, and it's colors and title still dance across my mind whenever i think about that little house on Semaht Drive. i couldn't read at that point, at least not well, so i just remember the cover.
now that i can read a little better, i decided to pull out the 5 Love Languages book again and see what it was all about. granted, i had heard the love languages spoken to me as a child and we all tried to figure out what we were so our family could "love each other" better. and now, i find myself analyzing people to figure out how i can show love to them better.
so for a quality time-physical touch-words of affirmation type chick like myself, this week has been marvelous. and i would love to explain my reasoning why.
saturday. let's just begin there. first of all, community and fellowship with the body is incredible! i am a self-proclaimed introvert... i honestly do not get "re-charged" by social encounters. however, they are necessary in one's life and walk with the Lord. we had a cookout for the interns at NightLight and i cannot begin to express the humility and affirmation i received from those hours.
my cousin J sent me a text earlier last week encouraging me to open up my heart to just listen and learn from the people i would be surrounded by. he called them "oaks of righteousness." boy, was he right on target. such incredible, Godly, wise men and women are leaders in the ministry. i am honored to be a part. i received so many words of affirmation during our prayer time. and the Lord showered blessings upon us to encourage our journey this summer. and through our lives.
not only that, but before the cookout, will and i went to a surprise "baby daddy shower" party-thing for our dear friend Cy. i finally met all the friends i hear about from will, who i basically feel like i know.
i had one conversation with Jay, and my attitude about this summer changed.
we were discussing the work i will be doing when all the sudden Jay just stopped and said,
"so what if no one is changed from what you say this summer?"
that stopped me right there and scared me for a second. so i gave a good church answer and said
"at least the seed would be planted you know."
then i got this nugget of wisdom, Jay said, "What if the person who gets changed, is you?"
and i felt dumb. and then encouraged. then empowered. how affirming, once again, that i am supposed to learn... and grow... and that this is more for me, maybe, than it is for the rest of atlanta. that this relationship i have with Jesus, is so important, that He would bring me here, to this place, to teach me one little thing.
lots of quality time and affirmation on that saturday.
sunday, woke up before the sun to leave for the beach with will. we met my family in gulf shores after a 6 hour & 20 minute drive. we enjoyed great food, and greater fellowship with my family. we laughed hard, i got to meet the newest baby bethea, and will got to meet the rest of my family. it was beyond worth it, just to get away for a couple days before my first week of working. and i got a tan...
after another 6 hour drive back to atlanta yesterday, i drove to grace to begin our first night of Kids Club. i love working with kids and showing them the love of Christ through simple, yet meaningful acts. singing songs, playing with side walk chalk, learning about God's Heart, and how he loves us, eating a snack, and just a simple hug. the word i kept seeing yesterday in my thoughts was hope.
we talked about how no matter what we do, God always loves us and keeps us in His heart, if we ask for forgiveness. simple truth.
as i sat on a tarp in the dirt with a little angel in my lap, i could feel the presence of the Lord saturating the playground. i heard laughter and joy in their voices. i saw love and hope in their eyes. these children can and will do amazing things with the right direction. that is why we are here, to share that direction in the name of Jesus.
during craft time, a little boy was coloring a picture of himself to put into God's heart. he stopped and looked at me and asked, "what color is God?"
i smiled and said that God is all the colors... and another child spoke up, "yeh, He is all the colors in the whole world!"
and then i saw the children coloring all the possible crayon combinations on the little paper hearts we gave them. then they glue sticked themselves in God's Heart. such a precious picture. there is no color boundary for God's everlasting love.
when i showered off all the dust last night, i thanked the Lord for the faces i saw and the hands i touched. i prayed they would see great things and do good with those hands. i prayed they would never forget the words of affirmation and the time we spent with them for those hours. i pray for them to come back next week.
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life according to the iPhone
much love and blessings.
mb.
the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed
me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed.
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
- jesus
