June 18, 2010
Phuket, Thailand
Chocolate chip cookies say a lot of things. A fresh batch coming out of the oven demands your attention. I used to bake them all the time for my uncle. To him, it meant that I loved him. A batch can turn any frown upside down. Each chocolatey bite seems to comfort the soul.
We made cookies to take to the girls. It almost felt like Christmas as we handed them out to girls who are used to having things taken from them instead of something given to them. We asked for nothing in return. We just wanted to love them. And with each cookie, we spoke of the God that loves them and calls them daughter. We held them in our arms and told them that they didn’t have to stay there, that God would take care of them. We told them that they were made for more than this. We told them that we love them because Jesus loved them first.
But perhaps my favorite thing to explain to the girls was just the length that God goes to for His children. I handed Nitra her cookie and told her that we were going home soon and that tonight would be our last night. She quickly asked when we would be back to Thailand. In my mind I was praying that it wouldn’t be soon, but we answered that it was up to God. We listen to Him and where He tells us to go, we go. I further explained that He told us to come here to show His love to you.
And I think that is my favorite thing about God. The great lengths He goes to for His children. He sent an American, thousands of miles away from home, to show the love of Jesus to His daughters. He could have done it in a lot of different ways. But God uses us if we let Him and He uses us to orchestrate a great symphony of love. I got to hug many women tonight and tell them about their worth, I loved it. But mostly God loved it. Two of His daughters – one telling the other about the Father she doesn’t know but needs to, because He changes everything! And uses people like me and chocolate chip cookies to do so!
