Thank You Lord for...children and faith!

THANK YOU LORD for children and faith! After I met Kian on Sunday, I decided to spend yesterday afternoon at the homeless shelter here in Atlanta. My sister’s house as it is called, houses around 50 kids! To see their faces you would never know they lived in a shelter or had experienced such a hard walk in their short lives. I approached the playground and within seconds 5 children came running up to me. I guess a new face must have been extremely exciting for those who live with around 100 plus. They hugged me, asked my name, told me theirs, grabbed hold of my hands and pulled me over to the monkey bars. I was a total stranger to these kids but they treated me like I was one of their own. I was pulled from one end of the playground to the other sliding down slides, running around and watching their songs and dances. One little girl even asked me to pick her up so that she could grab the monkey bars. I was in total disbelief that she allowed me to touch her and raise her up so high above my head. These children were putting their trust in me and welcoming me to their home. They loved me as God loved us. Did you know that human love is conditional and based on feelings or emotions? God’s love is the complete opposite. He doesn’t love us because we love him or make him feel good. He loves us unconditionally! I am so thankful for the children that day and their unconditional love towards me. It made me realize that I must love everyone as God loved us.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him"
1 John 4:16

After about an hour, I headed inside to tutor a teenager. Her mother sat on the computer next to us typing an email. I watched her patiently and slowly peck at the keyboard, one letter at a time. She had obviously never been taught how to type, a skill that we all take for granted. As I turned my head, a word from the screen seemed to jump up and catch my attention. If I hadn’t looked twice I would have thought it was in all bold, italicized and capital letters. But it wasn’t! At the bottom of her email she wrote the word GOD BLESS! Such a simple statement but such a large meaning. Here was a woman who was homeless, living in a shelter, had experienced more in her life than most of us ever will and she was sharing her faith with others. I left the shelter so thankful for having gone and with a challenge to share my faith with others. So thank you Lord for the children at the shelter and how they exemplified your love and for the mother whose faith in you impacted me. THANK YOU LORD for children and faith!