Check it out!!

I have a lovely new friend. She has gorgeous curly brown hair, an infectious smile, a cute voice and a love for Africa. It's been great getting to know her over the past year and especially over the beginning of the summer. Now, she's in Africa on an extended missions trip. If you ever meet her, you'll have to have her tell you her whole story, but suffice to say she has had a love for and desire to travel to Africa since she was a little girl. Now on her second trip there, she's started a blog. We're reading it together as a family so that we can be updated and know how specifically to pray for her. We are also very encouraged by it and motivated to pray more for this Continent and it's beautiful people. I'd strongly encourage you to check it out: http://myadventurez.blogspot.com/?spref=fb

Talking with my mom about God's callings on our lives got me thinking. It is so incredible how He has created each one of us for the same main purpose: to glorify Himself, but also with distinct giftings and desires that enable us to glorify Him in many different ways! With Elsie, He placed Africa on her heart at a young age and she's sharing His love with the people there. Who knows how God will continue to mold and shape this love and how He will direct her life in its regard.

It's the same with each of us. How is the Lord using your gifts and desires to bring Him glory and share the gospel of Christ with those around you? We aren't all called to foreign lands. Most of us will use our gifts, large or small, to reach those nearest to us and in seemingly little ways. But to God time spent with a lonely person, floors scrubbed to bless your mother, a story read to a rambunctious kiddo and kind words spoken to encourage your brother or father or sister are of as much pleasure to Him as feeding hungry children in foreign lands. Start using your gifts with your family members and neighbors and those you encounter weekly and let the Lord direct how HE would have you use them. You never know what great things the Lord will do with simple, willing hands.

And He said to him, "Well done good and faithful servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities!"

~ Luke 19:17

** Photo above taken by Elsie, from her blog.