Thankful

So today I spent a lot of time thinking.. thinking about my life, how blessed I really am, how thankful I am for this life that God has given to me. For many of us life is so very busy, we make limited time to stop and just reflect on the goodness that he has lavished on us. I really struggle with being still and just enjoying the quietness in the day.. instead my inclination is to go and do and not stop until it is too late and I am exhausted. I am trying to work on this trying to get better and just be.

Today.... I made the time to do just that. I fought the urge and just sat and let my thoughts flood my mind. I spent a lot of time thinking about the crisis in the Congo and I was spurred to spend time researching about it so that I can be entirely informed. Our church spent this past Sunday educating us on the situation and I am still astounded and terrified by what is happening over there. I am trying to figure out what I can do, what is my part in all of this. I know I have to react and respond. Sometimes it seems so daunting, but then you realize that these are real people and these people really need our help.

I can't imagine what life must be like for them, being chased from their homes, not having food to eat, worrying about the health and welfare of their children, women being fearful of who might be lurking around the corner waiting to rape them. This is everyday life for these people and these are things that we rarely think about in our own county.

So today I remain thankful.. thankful to the Lord for the country he chose to birth me into, yet aware and re-awakened to the responsibility we have to our fellow man. We are privileged in this country no mater what our economic situation may be at the moment and we are blessed to be a blessing to others. God has not given us all this fame, wealth and power for no reason he has given it to us so that we can be a voice to those hurting around the world and so that we can be the hands and feet of Christ. I confess I have not done enough to help the destitute and hurting in our world. I have allowed myself to become a part of the culture, a part of a world that values money, success and material possessions over relationships and over service to others. I have become numb to the needs of the hurting and I needed a wake up call.

Slowly over the past few years my heart has begun to change, partly due to my circumstances and mostly due to the fact that I have surrendered and allowed God to change me from the inside out. I want to be different. I want to fight for those worth fighting for, those that are crying out for someone to hear them and to respond to their cry. How can I continue to sit on the sidelines waiting for someone else to respond or for God to speak audibly to me. My desire now is to educate my self, help educate others, and to give of my resources.

I have decided that I will respond... I will live life more simply not for myself any longer, that I will think before I spend money on another thing that I don't really need and that in turn I can utilize my resources for people that really need them, that need them so bad that they are dying all over the world. I have allowed the world to determine what I value for way to long.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to take the time to STOP and reflect and for continuously changing my selfish heart.