So during my four months home I've enjoyed many things but my favorite thing is being able to spend time with my 11 nieces and nephews and watch them grow up. I'm amazed how fast time goes and how the years past by. It feels like just yesterday that my 8 year old twin niece and nephew were born and I held them in my arms. After being gone for a whole year at BCOM I came back with a new perspective and a deeper understanding of how important my choices, attitudes and words impact a young child. Each time I spend time with my nieces or nephews I realize how much they look up to me and are watching what I do.A couple of Sunday's ago I was driving in the car with my oldest niece and my parents. We were on our way to church where I was scheduled to speak to share my plans and to seek support. While we were driving along my niece looked at me and said, " I wish we could be sisters." I have always been a favorite of this niece and since she was a baby she always wanted me above anyone else. Later on she asked me about why I was going to Africa and where it was and how long and what it'd be like. Then she said, " Aunt Abby...I want to grow up to be just like you someday!" It touched my heart and I just wanted to cry. I said I hoped she'd grow up to love God even more than I did. Through the rest of the car ride I just prayed to God that I would be a godly example to my nieces and nephews. That I would be someone who that when they did look up to me as an example tha
t it would point them to Christ.Later in that day I received a call from one of my teammates. She told me how her younger siblings were in Keepers of the faith and she spoke to the kids and shared what she was going to be doing. Each child decided to pick one of us Kenya team people and pray for them. One little girl picked me and wanted to pray for me. She told my teammate that she wanted to 'grow up to be just like me!' I was so touched that this unknown little girl would see a picture and hear about me and want to be like me.
Going over the weekends events I really felt like God was showing me what a huge example and impact my choices in life make on those younger than me. It truly does matter what I do with my life. We have a responsiblity to be godly examples to the next generation. To point the way to Christ, to live lives totally devoted to Him...to be recklessly abandoned in our love for Christ in the hopes that their love will exceed and outdo ours. I pray for this generation that they may grow in love and in the wisdom of God. I pray for our generation that we will rise up and take responsi
bility and take leadership and be mature godly people who will show the way for the little eyes looking up at us...Jesus loves the little children....He said let them come to me. I urge you to be an example to the little people around you wherever you are. The choices and the decisions you make matter. The sacrifices and the commitments that you make for God matter and will impact and lead the next generation. Lift Christ high in your lives and love him extravagantly so that the world may see...and so the little eyes may watch and learn and grow.
*Leaning on my Beloved*
Abby
(9/27/09, 11:25pm)
