I am selling these shirts to help fundraise for my World Race trip, and this phrase on them has come to embody the very reason that I feel called to go. And to go not just on the World Race, but to live my life invest in ministry, no matter what country I am in.
Since I was young, I've wanted to go into the world and make it a better place wherever I went. I knew one of the best ways was to go and help people, which usually involves physically doing something for them. But after I began my relationship with Christ, I realized the best way to do this is to love people (which, yes, can be physically serving them, but it's more than that).
The kind of love you show to people is extremely important. It is not about loving someone in an affectionate way, or the way the world knows best where you "love" someone as long as they are serve some sort of purpose, as long as it brings no hardship to you, or as long as you're getting something out of it as well.
You see, the kind of love to exude is the kind that Jesus showed to the world…
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"
– John 15:13 (NIV)
This love is a sacrificial love, to put the needs of someone else before your own, to suffer for the sake of another, to continue to love a person and fight for them when there is no reward for your efforts. A love for a person as they are, expecting nothing in return.
When you love people with the love of Christ, it changes people. It stops them in their tracks, makes them wonder and question at what's going on, it changes their perspective and opens them up to possibly accepting this great love God has to offer them. Because Christ's love is unlike anything else in this world and the best thing we could give anyone. It will, forever, make their lives better.
For me, the World Race is my call to go into the world and show this love of God to those who may or may not have ever been exposed to it before. And to do it all for the glory and purpose of God; for I cannot be there for ever to continue to show them this love, but I can show them to the source of it all.
I'm not going to lie, I'm still learning how to love like that; in fact, I still don't completely understand it. I know I will stumble along the way, I will fail at loving at times, but I also know that God will show me what it means to love as He does…and He will continue to love me as He always does.
If you would like to help send me to spread the love of Christ to the nations, you can help in a few different ways:
1) As always, you can give straight to my account by clicking "Support Me!" in the column on the left.
2) You can buy a shirt! I'm selling them for $22, includes shipping; sizes Youth Medium to Adult 3XL. The proceeds of the shirts will go directly to my trip! Email me at [email protected] or view my Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/522422747827159/?ref=br_tf for more information on payment options.
3) There is a whole list of things I need to get to go and if you'd like to help by purchasing one or two things, you can check out what I need here: http://www.myregistry.com/public/April-April-Claybaugh
