This is No Sacrifice

When John and I got married, we played a song called "This is no sacrifice, here's my life." And I loved those words but never really understood them until now.
There are some who have praised us for our "selfless" acts of selling our things to serve the blind in Angola. If I could convey our understanding of God and His Kingdom, and the amazing encounters we have had because we left our comfortable world; you would realize that we have sacrificed nothing. Instead, we have traded up in life. I have the privelege of being reminded  daily of our many blessings. Daily, we get to feel the reward of helping others in need without looking for them. Our children see, everyday, other kids who don't have it so good (although, they don't always sit content with the same "old" toys). I'm not bombarded with commercials for the latest and greatest gadgets telling me what I should be wasting my hard earned money on.
I've seen my children's prayers get answered. I've seen my husband grow in the Fruits of the Spirit. I've seen the Lord actively working in my life. Even when I thought I didn't have the kind of Spiritual Gifts that God needed in a Missionary, but I get to see Him use me! I can't hide behind all the "truely qualified" ministry people. I get to be that person. My life is so full! So blessed, so unified with my family.
I have made no sacrifice of true meaning, but I have traded up in the Kingdom of God; and want to hear no more of how amazing we are. If we were so amazing, God would have been able to teach us and use us in these ways right there in the U.S. But instead he had to send us way over here to get our attention. .
When I hear someone thanking me for coming here, I feel so humbled. It's like someone thanking me for eating a piece of chocolate cake. I just love my life.




From Angola With Love,
Lori

Note: The wording I used today, "traded up" was taken from the book "Love Does" by Bob Goff.