Blessed

Man, I'm missing this sweet, little, baby face today.  I've just been sitting here on the couch at my Nana and Papaw's house and looking through all my pictures.  As I was looking through my pictures from my summer in Peru and remembering all that the Lord has done and continues to do there, I was reminded how blessed I am.

God is at work all around me.  It doesn't matter if I'm thousands of miles away in Peru, going to school in the Windy City, or sitting at my grandparent's house in Kentucky, God is always at work, faithfully orchestrating my life.  I am blessed beyond measure.  The Lord has really revealed that to me in these past several days as I've gotten to slow down and just talk with my grandparents.  Yesterday as we were sitting at the counter, Nana shared her testimony and then Papaw shared his.  I've heard both of their testimonies before, but never consecutively.  It was beautiful to see how God had his hand in every little thing that happened in order to lead them to each other when their testimonies began to weave together.  It's amazing how when God gets ahold of someone's heart, He never lets it go.  He protected and kept both my Nana and Papaw all of their lives as He faithfully directed and guided them along somewhat curvy paths.  To hear what God brought them through in their pasts and how He has abundantly blessed them and all of us kids and grandkids through them, just blows my mind.  It's a story of God's faithfulness.  I couldn't attribute it to anything or anyone else.  God alone.  His love and faithfulness is what kept them and has continued to bless them and bless me as I've gotten to see their example of love, marriage, service and a relationship with our Father in Heaven.  Ahh I am just so thankful for them!

Sometimes it makes me wonder why I was born into this family.  Why did God choose to place me in America, to grow up in a Christian home with a Christian education and with parents who love each other and love God even more.  To be blessed with grandparents who have set an incredible example for not only their children, but their grandchildren and everyone who they have loved and served.  To be blessed with brothers who love God and want to serve Him with their lives, and cousins, aunts and uncles who have all given their lives to our Father, God.

I don't think I thank the Lord enough for all of this.

On top of all of that, right now: I'm writing this post on my laptop.  Underneath a roof.  In a house.  With a fan blowing on me. Laying in a bed. With clothes on my back, and a full tummy. Knowing that my family is in the next room over.  If I need anything I can walk down the hall.  I have running water in the bathroom directly across the hall.  The fridge is overflowing with food and even more is in the fridge outside. There's a car - make that two - in the garage, and two more that my family and cousins drove over. . . and the list goes on and on. . .

This isn't to boast in what I have, but to remind myself that I have more than enough.  The Lord has blessed me abundantly and I have nothing to complain about - ever.  Instead, my heart must cry out with thankfulness to God for all that He has entrusted me with.  It is a privilege and huge responsibility.  How can I use this for His glory and give back to Him?

Sometimes all of this makes me wonder why I was born here, with all of these blessings from God and why my precious, baby Aymar was born in a dump in Trujillo, Peru with barely enough food for the day.  It doesn't seem fair and I oftentimes find myself thinking about this and feeling guilty for all that I have. Why me? Why not Aymar and her family? I'm pretty sure if I tried to number the things that the Lord has entrusted me with I wouldn't be able to, whereas Aymar and her family can probably count on their fingers the number of things that they have.  

I don't think that God wants us to compare our circumstances, because ultimately He is sovereign and knows exactly why we were placed where we are.  He has reason and purpose for all that He does.  But I do think that through considering these things, I am reminded of the responsibility that I have to take care of those who have less than me.  As a believer and follower of Christ, I believe that we have the responsibility and the joy of sharing our food with the hungry, of providing the poor wanderer with shelter - when we see the naked to clothe them and not turn away from anyone in need (Isaiah 58).  God promises that when we do this - when we reach out to these precious children of His - our lights will break forth like the dawn, healing will quickly appear, righteousness will go before us, and the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard.  When we call on the Lord, He promises to answer our cries for the people that He has placed on our hearts! This amazes me.  

Our God is faithful.  He has blessed us so that we can bless others and shine with a radiance that points directly to His goodness and grace.