http://youtu.be/4mmgV6mPvb0 - Blessings - Laura Story

What if our blessings come in raindrops?

This morning I was thinking about struggles that people I love are facing.
I was thinking that as a mom, if I had the power, I would remove every struggle
my child might be facing.  I'd make his/her life easy and happy, no bumps, no
disappointments, no sadness...

So my next thought was if God really loves us, His children, more than we can possibly imagine, and He definitely has the power to remove the bumps in the road and make our lives easy and happy with no disappointments, no sadness, why doesn't He? 

Because I believe God loves us beyond our understanding, a love that goes so much deeper than any parent's love ( I know this is impossible to comprehend), I know that His love is perfect and good.  I hold on to Jeremiah 29:11-14:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

If I believe the words of the LORD, that He has a plan for me - it's for good and not evil, a plan to give me a hope and a future, then I must trust that whatever HE allows in my life can be used to bring me to that plan and purpose.  If the struggle He allows continues, even though I'm pleading with Him to remove the struggle, then I have to believe that either I need to handle the struggle in a different way, or that maybe there is someone in my life watching how I handle the struggle, watching how I trust God through it all. 

I know my Father loves me even more than I love my own children.  If I would move heaven and earth to keep my children safe from harm, to give them a hope and a future, how much more would our heavenly Father work in our lives to bring us to that promised hope?


First, I have to remember:  Never, ever doubt His love and goodness.

He proved His love by sending His beloved Son to earth to live a human life full of abuse, beatings, isolation, ridicule, betrayal, insults...  God allowed His precious Son to go through all those things, and ultimately, He allowed Jesus to die on the cross an agonizing death.  Why?  Because He loved us enough to allow the suffering for a moment for Eternal good for His children.

Whatever the struggle or suffering we may face on earth, Jesus understands.  He's been there.  I know.  He didn't have to face "your exact struggle", right?   But think about it.
What is the emotion that your struggle brings into your heart?  Fear? Loneliness? Rejection? Physical pain? Isolation? Humiliation?  What emotion are you dealing with that Jesus didn't have to work through? 

He was a solitary man.  He had no spouse or children to call "family".  He was betrayed by his dearest friends.  He had no home of his own.  No financial wealth.  He had no place to lay his head.  He was God, yet refused to cling to His rights as God.  He set aside all the glory and honor that was rightfully His, to live a human existence.  He showed us how to deal with adversity.  He taught us to keep our eyes on Eternity and to love others enough to give up our own "rights and comfort" to help someone in need.
As He breathed His last breath, I wonder how disappointed He felt in His friends?  They left Him to face the worst moments of His life alone. 

Jesus allowed His Father to use those struggles and the pain for the good of others.
Maybe that's what God is waiting for us to do with our struggles.  Maybe if we saw our pain and suffering as opportunities to shine light into the darkness, just like Jesus did, maybe then our struggles wouldn't seem like such burdens.  Maybe then we could begin to see our struggles as blessings that God uses to grow us into the kind of people He wants us to be.  Maybe we are supposed to be like Jesus and trust our Father through whatever suffering He allows. 


The question is "How can I use my struggle to shine for Jesus?"  How can I testify to His love through the struggle I face?" 

I must respond to the struggle the way Jesus responded to His struggles and suffering.  He loved those who persecuted Him.  He didn't sit around thinking how difficult His life was.  Instead, He reached out to others.  He lifted the burdens off those around Him with His love and kindness.  HE loved His Father and He loved others, no matter what He was dealing with.  He cared more about others than Himself.

Whatever I face today, whatever monumental battle I might think I have, His battle was worse.  He took on the sins of the entire world, all the shame, the regrets, the filthiness, the hurt and brokeness caused by our sins, Jesus took all that on Himself.  He didn't stop and say "Father, this isn't fair?  Don't you love Me?  Why are You allowing Me to suffer?"   He knew His Father.  And Jesus knew that He could trust Him completely.  So, He faced every struggle, every pain with honor and humility.  Maybe that's how I need to face my struggles, too. 

A Cheerful Giver

http://youtu.be/d61LamkXfwk - God of the City - Chris Tomlin

2 Corinthians 9:7
⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. ⁹ As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

Our Sunday morning Women's Class has been studying Paul's letters to the church in Corinth for the last several weeks.  Oh how much Paul loved that group of believers!  As I read his words, I hear his heart felt devotion and concern for the people whom he had brought to Christ.  He loved them as a man would love his very own children. 

Our lesson next week will be in chapter 7 of 2 Corinthians, so I sat down to study chapter 7 this morning.  For some reason,  I decided that I should go back and read from the beginning of of this letter in order to bring Paul's message all together in my mind.  After all 2 Corinthians is one letter that was surely written by Paul to be read at one sitting.  When I finished reading chapter 7, I felt the need to continue on.  As I began to read chapter 8, I realized that God had very intentionally brought me to this passage this morning.

The reason this message is so powerful to me this morning is that I had just received another email from my precious friend, Oscar.  Once again, he is pleading for assistance so that he and Emma can help provide care for a very sick widow and her two children.  If you've not read Oscar's emails in last several days, Benter is a young woman whose husband died, leaving her with two young children.  Because of customs in Kenya, when a man dies, his property - all of his property - goes to birth family - not to his wife and children.  This practice is so common that apparently, families don't think twice about chasing the widow and children away from their home.  It's despicable to us, but in their eyes, it's normal. 

Oscar's email this morning:

Thanks alot for the money we received on saturday for our primary kids ,Emma bought all the needs for the kids yesterday ,thanks alot .
Mom,we went to visit Benter yesterday but she really in need of help.She is living along the corridors of the clinic and her condition is bad.We thought of taking her to the centre but she needs some isolation for a while due to her health condition.She has some serious skin infection and cough that can not allow her live within our centre.She needs to get a place and visit the clinic iweekly,she has been offered free medical services only.We bought her some food and fruits yesterday.She is going to get a free HIV/AIDS test today ,the nurse treating her is suggesting so due to her condition.
This lady needs some private shelter ,beddings, food and some little help for a while .
Her two kids also needs to be in school .We think her skin and chest is persisting due to lack good meals and beddings.
I think Shelly Howay promised to send us some help towards the issue of this lady.We talked to the nurse yesterday and promised to look for her accomodation else where since they have given her a notice to vacate the premises immediately.
The nurse is doing her part and only promised to give her only free medical treatments and nothing more.
Am therefore appealing to our friends to come out and help us resettle this lady some where  next to the clinic .
Timoland also is expected to join college latest 10th of this month .so lets pray we serve a faithful God and very able father.
God is good and thanks alot for the photo of Kim and family .Lets get all our friends photos,we also love the photos too.We see you friends close to us and as we pray we see you all close to us too.Kindly send us Tyler's photo and his friends too.
Reply,
Son,
Oscar

Oscar and Emma found Benter on the streets.  She is very sick. She has no shelter, no food, only clothing on her back.  She has no way to provide for her children.  Because she is so sick, I am afraid that she most likely has HIV/AIDS.  I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that's what killed her husband, and now Benter is probably die, too, without proper care and nutrition and medicine.  Then her children will be completely alone.

I can read Oscar's emails about this situation and my heart breaks.  I get all teary eyed and wonder what I would do if I was Benter.  But then I move on to the next email and Benter is pushed back in my mind.  And I'm ashamed to say, I only think about her when Oscar forces me to with another email describing her plight.

Oscar and Emma don't forget about people.  They are committed to finding help for Benter.  When I read this passage, it reminds me of my friends, Oscar and Emma:

2 Corinthians 6
³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Having nothing, yet possessing everything!  That's Oscar and Emma. 

I am constantly at battle with the Enemy.  He whispers lies in my ear.  "You can't send that email out to everyone.  They are tired of you asking for help.  Oscar always needs something.  It's never going to end and the more people give, the more he wants!  All your "friends" are tired of hearing about Oscar.  Give them a break.  You always have your hand out for that man.  You can't fix this problem in Oscar's world.  It's too big and it's never going to get any better!"

Those are the lies that run through my head.  The problem is that there is just enough truth to create a battle in my mind.  But for every lie, I hear the Voice of truth, reminding me:

Truth Number 1: 
I'm sure some of my friends are tired of hearing about Oscar's needs, but not all my friends.  Some of my friends care deeply for Oscar and his ministry.   I don't expect everyone to have the same passion for this work as I do. There are so many wonderful ministries that need help.  God softens the hearts of those He has chosen to help Happy Choice.  It's Him, not me who will provide the Hands and Feet for this work.

Truth Number 2:
And, yes, Oscar does always need something.  But not because he is selfish and self-promoting like so many others are.  Oscar sees with Jesus' eyes.  Everywhere he turns, he sees people who are hurting, and unlike me, Oscar can't just erase what he has seen.  His heart breaks for those people.   So he relays the needs he sees to me, trusting that I will share the need with you.  God does the rest.

Every time I get another email with more needs, I hesitate to share it with others.
It's hard for me to always have my hand out for Oscar.  You see, I'm afraid people will start avoiding me because they are afraid I'll ask for help for him.   I don't want people to run the other way when they see me coming.  I want people to like me.  I hate asking for help.  I just hate it.  BUT for some reason, God decided to put this ministry in my heart, and He has given me the job of telling others.  Seriously, is that so hard to do?  All have to do is tell people and God does the rest.  Is my own need to be "liked and accepted", more important than the job God has trusted me to do?  NO!!!

You see, I know a little something about my good friend, Oscar.  It's hard for him, too,  to send me emails asking for more money.   How do I know this?  Sometimes, Emma will email me.  I love to hear from her.  Her words are sweet and full of faith.  A couple of years ago, she shared with me how hard it is for Oscar to have come to me, asking for help over and over again.  It broke my heart, but I understood.  The difference is that I can put aside the needs of the widows and orphans because I don't face them every day.  But Oscar and Emma can't just look away.  So Oscar does what he must do.  He tells me so that I can tell you. 

Truth Number 3
I cannot fix this problem.  There will always a need.  But just because I can't "fix" the problem does not mean I shouldn't try to help.   Oscar can't help everyone, as much as he'd like to, but Oscar is making a difference, one person at a time.  And we have an opportunity to make a difference through Oscar's work.  One person at a time.

Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians that God doesn't expect us to give what we don't have.  His desire is that we give out of love - not because we have to.  He wants us to give with a cheerful heart, knowing that our gift will lighten someone else's load.

I hope you'll read chapters 8 and 9 of this letter.  Look at verse 3 of chapter 8 -- "For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.  They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do."  

The Macedonian believers were being tested in so many ways and they were poor themselves.  In spite of their own problems, when they heard of how much the church in Jerusalem was suffering, they responded out of love and concern.  This story is so personal to me.  I see Oscar's ministry as not unlike the Jerusalem church.  Like them, Oscar has very little resources.  No one works harder to provide for his family and ministry than Oscar and Emma, but when there is no work or food, what else can they do? 

We here in America are able to provide for our families.  There are wonderful ministries that provide food and clothing, even shelter, when one of us is unable to provide for ourselves.  Oscar doesn't have that option.  God has given some of us the blessed burden of coming along side to help Oscar and his Happy Choice ministry. 

Maybe God has not called you to this ministry, but if He has pricked your heart, don't push the emails out of your mind.  Don't forget the needs that Oscar sees every day.  We can't change the world but we can help at least one life be better.  And I guarantee the lives that Oscar touches, those people will know Jesus because of your help and Oscar's determination to help those who are in need.

2 Corinthians 8 (NLT)

A Call to Generous Giving

8 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. ² They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

³ For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. ⁴ They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. ⁵ They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

⁶ So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. ⁷ Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

⁹ You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

¹⁰ Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. ¹¹ Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. ¹² Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. ¹³ Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. ¹⁴ Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. ¹⁵ As the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

Titus and His Companions

¹⁶ But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have. ¹⁷ Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you. ¹⁸ We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News. ¹⁹ He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem—a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.

²⁰ We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. ²¹ We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.

²² We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you. ²³ If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. ²⁴ So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.

9 I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. ² For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.

³ But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. ⁴ We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! ⁵ So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

⁶ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. ⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. ⁹ As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

¹⁰ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

¹³ As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. ¹⁴ And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. ¹⁵ Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!


Oscar has some "Macedonian" friends among you all.  I so appreciate your prayers and support for Happy Choice.  There are no words that can convey how much it means to me that you guys have been so good to respond to Oscar's ongoing needs.  Thank you from the bottom on my heart.  May God bless you in all things as you have been a blessing to this ministry. 

If God is putting Oscar's ministry on your heart  and you want to donate towards the financial needs of caring for the 12 children at the orphanage, or the widows with whom Emma works, or for Benter and her children, you can donate online through Lost Orphans ministries.  Happy Choice can be accessed through the following website (part of Lost Orphans):

www.gobehope.com  

 

Your donations are tax deductible through this website and any amount is greatly appreciated.  Simply go to  www.gobehope.com , select "meet the children" or "general donations",  and from there be sure to select "Happy Choice" so that Oscar's work will get the donation you make. Once a month, the wonderful people at Lost Orphans, (thank you Kari!)  send whatever funds are in the Happy Choice account by wire to Oscar.   Our goal is to have every child in the orphanage supported through monthly donations. 

Lost Orphans has been a godsend for Happy Choice, and we thank God for their willingness to help.  They're motto:  Go.Be.Hope!  That's exactly what they do. 

Go.Be.Hope!!!