Today we went to the beach. Now you’re probably thinking it was a group of 20 somethings taking a day off and hitting the waves with surfboards, laying in the sun, and sipping on drinks with little umbrellas in them. Well that wasn’t the case today! A small group of us had the idea to go out to the beach near the community of Tambo de Mora with numerous children that were more than happy to accompany us. So after getting parental permission we were off.
The children of this little community are as energetic and curious as little children come. I mean they will hang off any limb you have exposed, they love to be thrown around in the air, and they all want your attention. So you can just imagine us walking through the town with children all around us going on this big adventure with a bunch of foreigners. There was no fear in these kids. There was no “what could happen to me if I went?”. It was trust and comfort in us as we led the way.
And so on our way back to the village to complete our day of ministry we had to hike back up the hill and get these kids back home. It was tough for some of them as there is only so far a little set of 4 year old legs will go. Anna Mia was one of these little ones that was just out of gas. I picked her up on my shoulders and started our 20 minute walk back up the hill. As she was sitting there I held her hands so she wouldn’t fall. She had the softest and most trusting hands I’ve ever felt before. She was 100% content where she was. The intriguing part was that she only knew me for maybe an hour.
As I was walking up the hill I started to pray for this little one. I prayed for her health, her life in Peru, and for her atmosphere to truly grow up in the presence of Jesus. A passage that popped into my head was Matthew 18:3-4 which says, ‘And he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”.’ I held her little precious hands and I felt in my heart the joy that God must feel when one of His children just trusts in Him. That total submission to His plan and purpose. I thought back to my own life and had a bit of a reality check because I know I rely on my own strength far too often than I should. I know God wants me to give myself 100% and not 99.9%. Sure I gave this next year to Him, but he doesn’t just want my time, my money I could have made, nor my gifts. Those things will flow naturally, but He wants my whole heart. He has a far greater purpose for me than I could ever comprehend. He has my life in his precious hands. I thank God today for Anna Mia and the trust that she showed me. I truly take it to heart and rededicate my life and praise to Jesus as I strive to fully trust Him in the same way.
Just imagine resting in God’s presence just like Anna Mia in this picture!
Are you giving your whole heart to Jesus? Are you holding something to yourself that you feel that you can control? God wants all of your heart, He wants to speak into your life. He has a plan and a future for you! Are you ready to give it all to Him?!
