Just the beginning....

For days leading up to the day of departure, I had been praying.... "Lord prepare our hearts... to see what You want us to SEE, to hear what You want us to HEAR, to feel what You want us to FEEL."  As you can imagine the saying 'good-bye' to our kids was very hard - especially for Emma our youngest.  But when I shared with her... "Emma, you are just LOANING me to these kids who don't have a mommy.  You will have me forever, but they need me for a little while - to love on them and give them lots of hugs and kisses."  ... she was better... she told me - "OK, mom... go love on them".  I had NO IDEA how true that statement would be.  How those words would ring in my ears again as I did exactly that... love and hug on some very lonely children.  "Lord, prepare my heart..."

I have heard the statement so many times... we make plans -- but God orders our steps.  He has been ordering our steps for weeks, months, and probably years.. leading up to this trip.  And as I sit here today trying to process it all... trying to wrap my mind and heart around what I have SEEN, HEARD and am still FEELING... I have chills as I am fully aware that HE is STILL ordering our steps.

The adventure is NOT over... but just BEGINNING.  God is moving and working in our lives in ways we cannot even begin to put into words.  At this moment... all I can do is tell the story... the story of poverty, joy, hunger, contentment, desperation, and hope.  I can share the things He has allowed me to SEE, HEAR and FEEL... and trust Him to be faithful to continue the work He has started.

As I sat in my seat on the plane flying across the ocean, I pulled out a book that I had purchased several weeks before our trip.  I had heard it was an amazing, challenging book... but knew nothing more about the author or the theme of the book.  As I began to read the Introduction ... the first line caught me:  "What does God expect of us? ... and went on to explain that the idea behind the book The Hole in Our Gospel is the belief that, " being a Christian requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God.  It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world."  This next paragraph hit between the eyes:

"Yet we are carriers of the gospel - the good news that was meant to change the world.  Belief is not          enough.  Worship is not enough.  Personal morality is not enough.  And Christian community is not enough.  God has always demanded more.  When we committed ourselves to following Christ, we also committed to living our lives in such a way that a watching world would catch a glimpse of God's character - His love, justice, and mercy - through our words, actions, and behavior.  ... God chose us to be His representatives.  He called us to go out, to proclaim the "good news" -- to be the "good news" -- and to change the world.  Living out our faith privately was never meant to be an option."

As I moved on to the Prologue I was shocked to see that the opening story took place in Rakai, Uganda, August 1998.  "Ok, God... are you trying to get my attention??"  As I began the story of Richard Stearns, President of World Vision U.S. ... I was smiling as I could only see the humor of God in having me begin this book on a plane heading for Uganda.  I had prayed..."Lord, prepare my heart...." and He was answering my prayer... as only He can do.