“You, [God] are beautiful in all your ways.”
[Wonder by Bethel]
Month 10 is almost over. I return to the states in less than 5 weeks. It is a time of reflection and remembrance. I have been blessed to see God’s beauty in a variety of ways over the last year. Sometimes it is in a sunrise or a majestic mountain view. But I believe it is in people that God’s beauty shines brightest.
The last few days my thoughts have been filled with memories of the many people I have encountered around the world. These people and their stories have opened my eyes to more of who God is and how He is at work. Some of the stories I have shared before but I want to bring to life the specific ways I have seen God and his beauty.
It is the laugh of a refugee in spite of persecution and loss. It is the joy of an old woman amidst severe poverty. It is the adoption of neglected children into a loving family. It is the humility it takes to give up one’s privileged life to join a slum community. It is smiles and hugs from kids who are suffering from hunger and HIV/AIDS. It is the love of a young girl pouring out on others while she has little herself. It is the hospitality of a family dedicated to bringing the gospel to the remotest places. It is the faith of a 14 year-old in a post-communist culture. It is the prayer of a man who spent years in prison but now brings life to a rehab program. It is the strength of a father who works in the fields all day and cares for 12 orphaned boys at night.
And the beauty does not stop there. I have been surrounded by 40+ brothers and sisters this year who all reflect God’s beauty in their own unique way. Love. Joy. Wisdom. Understanding. Truth. Strength. Selflessness.
This year has been about witnessing God’s beauty around the world, in some of the darkest places, but that doesn’t mean his beauty does not exist at home. Wherever you are, look around you. See people the way Gods sees them. Beautiful.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
[Ecclesiastes 3:11]
