My Own Boldness!

Yesturday I did one of my favorite things ... I went for a walk! I LOVE a walk as a family, with friends, or by myself ... yesturday I went by myself!!! As I was walking and worshipping (in my head along with my ipod) I was struck by the blessings that I have been given! The highlights of the last couple of days flashed through my head and I felt OVERWHELMED at HOW MUCH I have been given. This thought process continued as I continued to walk, the simpleness of being able to go for a walk struck my heart!

I have had the priviledge of traveling to Ghana/Africa four times, China once, as well as to many other countries ... and so again yesturday the VISIBLE contrast of my tangible blessings through STUFF leaving my brain challenged and convicted.

In comparison to my sisters and moms in other places going for a WALK for exercise and pleasure is a luxury and a blessing that they do not have.

If they are walking, they are walking to get clean water, they are walking to their work, or they are working as their job as the woman in the above picture (I took that picture on my first trip to Ghana), usually carrying many lbs on their head. The other picture is of the ONLY TOY that I saw on my trip up North.

If they are walking, they do not have a nice sidewalk to walk on, they are walking on bumpy dirt/mud ... and who knows what else, as they share the path with all the animals in their community, and they don't have garbage cans or little baggies that we use to pick up after our animals.

If they are walking, they might have shoes or they might not. And if they have shoes, they are worn and torn and do not provide the purpose that my running shoes do! I choose runners based on the best support they give my knees - as my knees sometimes act up from the running I have done (running for pleasure). If they can even afford shoes, they might be comparable to the $2-3 flip flops we can purchase in so many stores these days, although usually they are wearing shoes that are either too big or too small.

If they are walking, they are usually not on a full stomach as I did yesturday - going a bit after dinner ... as often their stomachs are never full, as they count the simple one meal on a good day(probably half of one of our meals in the form of rice) a blessings. Nor will they be looking forward to the glass of cold water once they got home like I was, because one they don't have running water, two they don't have clean water, and 3 their water from the water hole ran out hours ago or is needed to prepare their next meal ...

If they are walking, they are probably not walking with the peace of mind of leaving their children playing tag in their yard with the daddy (probably followed by jumping on the trampoline, riding their scooters, digging in the dirt with kid shovels, or helping their dad build their new tree house) as their children might be on their back ... or they don't own a yard or a home, and never mind toys. They probably left their children without supervision, playing with dirt, as everyone in their family is doing their part to survive.

I really could go on and on with this example that became so clear to my heart yesturday, but I won't! Although another thing that I do know is that if my sisters in Ghana say,are anything like the women I have met, they ARE WORSHIPPING OUR CREATOR while they are walking ... just without an IPOD.

One of my new LIFE VERSES is Luke 12:48, "TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED," ... I have been given much. A simple example to me is that I CAN WALK safely and for pleasure!

AND so it struck me even more ... I have been GIVEN MUCH!! AND my own boldness to tell God that I "CAN'T" do whatever it is He is asking me to because I don't have the resources STRUCK me. I'm talking here about all those things tangible money things He asks us to do ... for all of us the "IT" He is asking is different, although I do believe for ALL of us there is an "IT," ... buy a meal for someone, sponsor a child, support a missionary, support the local food bank, go on a mission trip, adopt a child!!!

I think about the "lifestyle" that Sam and I work to try to keep up ... and it makes me wonder ... if God is/was calling me to do something RIGHT NOW (I'm praying about a couple of things) or if He is calling YOU TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW ... if my reason/if your reason for saying "No God" is that you don't have the money ... do you have the boldness, do I, do we have the confidence to be held accountable by our Creator when you stand before Him ... do I, do you really not have the money ... or am I just trying to maintain the North American lifestyle?? Nope, in case you are wondering ... I don't have savings in the bank! That is not the point, I KNOW that there is ALWAYS a HUGE element of FAITH when God calls us to do things ...

OH MY HEART!

THANK YOU JESUS for the tangible blessing upon blessing you have given Sam and I! THANK YOU for the GIFT of being able to go for a walk! Oh the JOY of this gift!