One more thing I want to mention before I run off to study and work on a lesson plan....something I feel God really wants me to share with you is an opportunity to sponsor a child through Compassion International. I've been sponsoring my child, Josue, for about two and a half years, and it has just been an incredible blessing to use what God has given me to serve one of God's little children...providing money to pay for supplies, health services, and Christian education for him. Not only that, I've enjoyed getting to know him by writing letters back and forth, and I have the privilege of praying for him and his family specifically, as he tells me about things he would like prayer for. There are SO many kids like Josue who need sponsors, and...at this point I feel like I'm sounding like an infomercial or something. But seriously...God has put this on my heart hardcore. And when it comes down to it...it's about a dollar a day. How insignificant is that in the grand scheme of things? (And I can attest to the fact that when you give of your resources to the Lord, He is more than faithful, always. While I've had to make some definite sacrifices, I can truly tell you that there hasn't been a single time that God has not provided for me).
Even if you can't afford it yourself....get a group of friends together, or sponsor a child as a family or something. If you're thinking, "Well what'll that do...it's just one child out of how many million...what difference does it make whether I sponsor? If I don't, someone else will end up sponsoring the kid." And you know...you're right. It IS one child. One child that it will make all the difference for. If you don't sponsor that child, that's one less child that will be sponsored, even if a thousand more people signed up to be sponsors today. Do you want to be the one to tell that 1001st child that he/she is just not worth you're giving up a dollar a day?
Uh oh...now I'm playing the guilt trip card. But sometimes it just needs to be put into perspective, I think. So please...at least pray about it. Maybe this isn't something God is calling you to do right now. But if it is...please...either ask me about it, or go to www.compassion.com to sign up.
And actually...I have a sponsorship packet right here for a specific child named Sujin (he's adorable!) from India...and I have committed to finding a sponsor for him by Christmas. So if you're interested or would like to find out more or talk to me about it, please let me know...I have little information packets and a child profile on Sujin and all that jazz. You'd totally make my millenium (and Sujin's). :)
Ok...time to get off my soapbox and go study. I realize I get long-winded about this stuff, but...it's something I'm passionate about. So hey...at least think about it, k?