HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Although rough, I hope this story touches your heart on
Valentine’s Day!
(*names have been changed)
Nepal has presented a lot of opportunities to meet people
from all over the world. We met a group of Australians that came here to help with ministry and trek around Nepal. Diving into conversation about experiences in
past countries, one of the girls, Sarah* began to tell a story about a girl she
met and ministered to in Cambodia. It
provoked quite a few thoughts in my mind, some of which I will share. The story went a little something like this…
There was a teenage girl (we will call her Grace*) at a youth
service that lived in an orphanage in Cambodia.
Grace had a deep story; deep hurt in her heart. Sarah explained that Grace was raised by her
older brother, who always looked out for his younger siblings. One evening, he was walking home with milk
for the family, when suddenly he was unexpectedly attacked and stabbed by a
gangster. He made it home to his siblings
bleeding to death just in time to say his goodbyes. Grace and her other siblings, chose to hold
him in their arms as he shook, freezing cold from loss of blood, until he
slowly passed away in their arms.
One of Grace’s best friends at the orphanage she now
lives at, happens to be the sister of her brother’s murderer, who is now in prison. Grace’s father encouraged her not to
associate with the girl and told her to never be friends with her. Grace explained to Sarah that even through
all the hurt and pain of losing her brother, she would never
choose to abandon a relationship with the girl.
She told Sarah, “It is hard, but I thought about how much Jesus loves me
and I know I have an obligation to love her just as much as He loves me.”
This story spoke so loudly to me about the love of our
Father and of the love we are truly called to extend. I can’t imagine facing the
circumstance that Grace has had to face and yet she chooses DAILY, to love just
as our God in Heaven loves us. And to
understand and embrace that love as a teenager?! I am encouraged by her story SO much.
World Race culture stresses this type of love to the
extreme. I have been blessed to learn what genuine love for others looks like in the
last 5 ½ months and have been stretched beyond belief in the process. Learning how to say “Amen” to the process of
our brothers and sisters and continuously extending grace to not only each
other, but to ourselves, have been invaluable lessons that I will continue to
learn throughout my lifetime. When we
let go of personal offences and choose to look past mistakes/differences/mishaps,
we are able to grow and offer the love of Christ to others whom we may not feel
deserve it.
The truth is, we don’t get to choose who we love. Christ has already made that decision for us
and we are called to love unconditionally as He has loved us! Love is a lot of things we as humans struggle
with. Take 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 for example
and ask yourself, “Am I all of these things?” (I’ve once been encouraged to put
my name in place of “love” and see how it adds up. It really challenged me! Try it!)
On this Valentine’s Day, whether you are single, dating, engaged,
married, divorced or widowed, I encourage you to challenge yourself to live out
these words. Valentine’s Day is more
than just romantic love, the type we all dream of as we watch mushy love
stories. (Gross!)
Dedicate this day to more than purely eating chocolate,
smelling roses and spending time with a special someone. Take the time today to LOVE – smile at the
strangers you pass by on the streets, engage in conversation with your morning
barista, play with the kids you see at the park, write your struggling
co-worker an encouraging note, call up that person you’ve been holding a grudge
against, tell your family and friends how much you love and care for them.
STOP in the name of love today and BE Jesus
on Earth!
Happy Valentine’s Day to all!!!!
I pray that the love of Christ fills you up
today! 🙂
(*I’m still in need of $3,062 in the next 14 days to stay on the Race! Any and all help is much appreciated! Thank you!)
