On the coffee table: Kisses From Katie

Attention! Attention! Must Read! I just finished Kisses For Katie that Ashley suggested on I Heart Books and it is still on the coffee table as I am making Wes read it. I needed him to read it too because it stirred so much emotion, conviction, love, etc. I did not open it once and not cry. Some may say,  "I don't want to read something that will make me cry" and I can understand that BUT you should. It is not about what the author, Katie, is doing or that everyone should move to Uganda but her attitude is the perfect example of what it means to be a Christ follower. She doesn't just surrender the things she wants to and keep some comforts but she surrenders it all. And the amazing thing, the thing I became envious of, is that she has joy. Pure joy. Not happiness from things that make us smile like family, food, vacations, ball games, etc but true joy. I am learning that all the things I selfishly want to do that are fun, happy, involve my kids, etc (that aren't necessarily bad) just keep making me want more. They are empty in the fact that they don't satisfy the hunger I have to rest in God's will and experience His peace. I want that Joy. 

I am going to type some exerts from the book. I am doing this because I know for one reason or another you may not find yourself reading the book. I know that I too can have the mind set of "out of sight, out of mind" or "there is too much sickness, hungry, pain, disease in the world that we can't solve it all or even make a difference so why try" but I love how the author writes "I have learned that I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however change the world for one person. So I keep loving one person at a time. Because this is my call as follower of Jesus". This passage below had me bawling during my lunch break at work. I need to expose you. Sorry. 

"Its just different when its your child who's suffering. But should it be? This is what I have been struggling with. I believe that this is a normal human reaction. I also believe it is wrong. I believe that every human being on this planet is God's child, perfectly make and beloved and cherished by Him. I believe that His heart hurts, even more than mine does when my baby is hurting,  for each and everyone of the hurting, dying, starving, crying children in our world. So I have to believe that if my heart was truly seeking to be aligned with the heart of God, that I would hurt for each of these children as well.  But sometimes, I forget. Sometimes Im busy. Sometimes hurting for my very own children just feels like enough. I believe the world says this is okay. I believe it is wrong. And this keeps me up at night. Angelina is seven years old and barely weighs fifteen pounds. Her mother has not had any food to give her in more than four months. When Angelina musters enough energy to let out a cry of hunger (she is far too weak to walk or even hold her head up), her mother giver her some locally brewed alcohol to keep her quiet. For four months, keeping Angelina drunk has actually probably been what is keeping her alive. The dirt floor where she has been lying for her whole life, accumulating bed sores, is covered in waste, animal and human. Jiggers burrow deepen into her little feet, causing them to crack and bleed. She is naked, filthy and cold. It is worse than appalling… as I spoon Pediasure into Angelina's little mouth …. I allow the tears to fall-tears that hurt for these people as if they were my . family. Because they are my family, and it should hurt. It shouldn't be different. I desire for it to never again be different"- Katie Davis 

Katie is loving people one person at a time. She can tell them Jesus loves them because she is showing them what love is. She writes "He is coming and all these children who are hurting and hungry for love are going to be scooped into His everlasting arms and told they are beautiful. They are the least of these. They are His heart. And He is coming for them and for us."

Read Matthew 25:31-46 Oh how convicting! 

And for those who likes stats….

"The truth is that there are 143 million orphaned children, and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases, and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes or under other horrific conditions, and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children. And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians. The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians would care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left"- Katie Davis 

"The truth is that God loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible". - Katie Davis 

As you can tell, I enjoyed the book. Though, it has made me really re-evaluate and stir lots of thoughts. I had to share what is on my mind. Please pray for Wes and I to decipher what this should look like in our lives and not "wait on Gods will" but be loving people daily. AND definitely check out Katie' Davis ministry AMAZIMA and buy the book (and necklaces) from her website to support the non-profit!

Leighton playing in some Amazima beads made from Ugandan women.