He Calls Her Lovely

He calls her Lovely. 
 
And then He asked her, “Who are they and what do I call them?”  He was asking her to meet the riverbed people who live in shacks and slums not far from the Kids International Ministries base.

 
My friend and teammate, Ashli, has been growing in her identity as God’s princess and has been named Lovely by her King.  Through that, and as a team we have recently been seeking what God wants most from us on this World Race.  We want to experience Him and follow Him.  But how do we do that in daily life?  And how can we make a difference for the kingdom that will last longer than the few short weeks we are in each country?
 
The answer is simple, but not exactly comfortable.  Listening to Francis Chan’s sermon, “The Thrill of Obedience”, last Sunday morning together as a team we were convicted about our complacency toward sharing the Gospel.  What did Jesus ask of us?
 

 
If I love God, then I will love His people.
 

 
When I love people, I want to share with them the good news and truth I know.
 

 
So simple.  So why don’t I do it?
 
In his sermon, Chan explains that the enemy is absolutely content if I am convicted, as long as I don’t do something about it.  So, sitting there and feeling in my heart that I am not doing what I need to be doing…do I walk away feeling sad about it OR do I change and actually act on what I need to do?
 
Well, Ashli did something about it.  She followed up on God’s question and went to the riverbed villages to find out who these people are.  And in the process, life broke forth.  She and another racer, Raquel, formed bonds with two women in particular and together they planned a party for all the girls and women in the riverbed community. 

 
Ashli and Raquel went to the store to buy nail polish, lip-gloss, eye shadow, blush, and snacks.  They came home brimming over with excitement as they shared how God had opened up an opportunity to share His love in the riverbed slums with over fifty women and children!  They explained the plan: a girl-only party with manicures and makeup, music, dance, snacks, and the Word.
 
So yesterday afternoon, we packed up all the goodies and headed down to the riverbed.  As we arrived, there was already a large group gathering and they just kept coming. 

 
We set up chairs to paint nails and to do makeup.  The women and girls, one after the other, sat down to be pampered and for us to gush over their beauty.  Each one, lovely and loved, daughters of the King.

 
After all the froo-froo fun and everyone was looking quite fabulous, we gathered around to hear from God’s Word.  Ashli, along with her Filipino friend Rowena from the riverbed, shared 1 John 4:15 and the gift of life through Jesus.
 

 
What a gift to be part of the celebration and opportunity to share God’s love with this community!  We had a ball and plan to go back next week for another party.  I am so thankful for Ashli’s conviction and for her heart to act on it, as she included us in the process.  Her love for the Lord and for people is deeply rooted in her identity. 

 
He calls her Lovely, because she is.