Letter to God: Seeing the Face of One

Dear God,

Remember when I was a very little girl, and my grandparents gave me a Frances Hook picture book for Christmas?  My favorite picture of all was this one of You, Jesus, holding the little girl's face, looking so beautifully into her sweet, trusting eyes.  I spent hours looking at this picture, absorbing the truth that not only are little children welcomed and loved in Your presence, but that You give Your undivided attention to the one talking with You... that even a little child matters to You.

My Sponsored Children

Is this what it's like for You, when You hold our faces and gaze into our eyes, that Your heart just grows bigger with even more love?  I think I'm getting just a little tiny glimpse of it...  my breath is just taken away sometimes when I see the pictures of my children, and I'm just struck with how incredibly beautiful they are... each so very special and unique, each with a unique calling upon their life, each causing my heart to be so crazily wrapped around theirs.  Just like my new grandbaby, they fill a place in my heart that I didn't even know was empty.  Every day my heart just seems to keep growing bigger with love for all these children.

My Grandbaby

How did this happen?  I don't even know some of these children yet... haven't received their first letter to know any more about them than the brief info I have from their profile.  And I barely know some of the others... even with receiving a letter or two from them, I still don't really have much of a glimpse into their heart to really know them yet.  Then I realized that it is like a newborn baby...  one simply LOVES that new baby, even though he seems to sleep all the time unless nursing.  A new mom just gives and gives and gives even more to a newborn baby... when she holds him asleep in her arms, she gazes in wonder at how special he is, how beautiful his features are, and prays blessings over this dear one. 

With some of my sponsored children, I have the joy of  growing in a sweet relationship with them.  Right now I take Yovani's face in my hands, just like You did in that picture, and I gaze into his face.   I am so overwhelmed with the love and gratitude that this 11 year old boy expresses over and over...  "You are very special to me and you are in my heart... you can't imagine how happy I am every time I get your letters...  my mom sends regards, kisses and hugs to you, she thanks Gary and you, and we read your letters...  what I like best about school is that I can learn every day and improve to triumph in life...  I have shared wonderful moments (at the Compassion project), and one of them is to know the most wonderful person in the world, and you are that person, my dear sponsor."

Yovani shows such a heart for You, and You truly are his Hero.  "I would like to be like Jesus, an honest man, supporting those in need.... I love and admire Him..."   I love how he is being taught and encouraged at the Compassion project... "The tutor has taught me that God created me and He chose me before the creation of the world, with a special purpose.  I know God has done the same with you.  I just ask God to help me to fulfill this purpose, and give me His grace and knowledge as it says in Proverbs 5:1 so I won't be wrong, and so I depend on Him in every decision I take..."

He just overwhelms me with his sweet spirit, and his love for his mom, and especially his love for his little sister that he treasures and protects... she is so beautiful in his eyes!  It blesses me every time that he speaks of her...  "My sister is so beautiful... My younger sister's name is Brenda.  She is 7 years old.  She is very beautiful and affectionate, and I look after her and I protect her a lot."  Oh! that every girl felt cherished by an older brother like Yovani!

I love these photos that he sent me in today's letter, showing such love in this family.  And SMILING pictures!!!  Oh my goodness... what a gift!! Tears just sprang to my eyes when I not only saw the pictures, but the carefully and beautifully decorated envelope that he sent the pictures in... so much love went into making this little gift for me that I already treasure.  And the colors even match the colors in the photo...  lol... You knew how much I would like that extra little touch... I think You whispered the idea into his ear.  :o)

Yovani also blessed me so much by speaking a specific verse into my life that You had given him for me.  I had to go run for my Bible to hear what You said to him!  "You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."  Isaiah 62:3  Yovani told me, "I knew it was for you when I read it.  Meditate about it and it will help you when you are sad."  I'm just overwhelmed with the love flowing from You through this boy today.

God, would You hold Yovani's face in Your hands right now just like in that childhood picture, and give him Your full attention?  His heart aches for his family, longing for them to be united and restored... he mentions it in every letter...  "Sometimes my dad comes to visit us...  I ask you to keep praying for me and all my family...  Psalm 133:1 - 'Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity'...  I ask you to pray for my family to be united and restored by the Lord...  Psalm 127:1 - 'Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it...'"  Turn Your face toward Yovani, and be very gracious to him...  lift up Your countenance on him and make Your face shine on him. Bless Yovani and his family, and give them Your peace... let Your shalom rest on them and fill them... "wholeness, completeness, nothing lacking, missing, or out of order." 

You have called us to love the world in Jesus' name... one by one, these little ones are being lifted up, treated with honor, respect, and love.  I alone cannot pour into the multitudes of needy children the love and provision they are desperate for, but I can demonstrate Your love to one child... and the next... and the next...  one by one making the difference in each child You give me to love and care for.

Leah

Antonio

When I look over the profiles of children needing help, some children especially attract my attention and move my heart with compassion to try to find sponsors for them...  such as little 4 year old Leah in the Philippines with her bright eyes and gorgeous, winsome smile...   or 6 year old Antonio in Bolivia with his mischievous little grin.  And I'm just so moved with compassion for the two children that came in my new advocate welcome package today that I have the privilege of personally advocating for...  I felt like Christmas just happened when I opened the box, and I can't wait to show my presents! :o)

But then there are ones that capture my heart in a very special way, and I know that I must personally sponsor them... this happened with Dora, Devora, Madelin, Geljan, Artush, and the others.  This is what I'm experiencing now with Brenda Rose in the Philippines, and Dieulande and Frantz in Haiti...  I long for the day when I can sponsor them, to bring these little ones home for however long You would have me help them.  I'm holding their faces between my hands, and loving them already.

One by one, hold each of my children's faces between Your hands today, look in their eyes with so much love that it overwhelms them... some of my children are hurting so much, and my heart cries out for them.  They need to experience the love that pours out of Your eyes that is beyond anything we have ever known or even dreamed possible.  Fill them in those deep places of their heart and comfort, heal, and restore them.

You have spoken so much to me about my children and have given me promises, such as the one from Isaiah 54:13... "And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children."  Thank You for holding my face in Your hands today, gazing into my eyes with that same look of love, and reminding me of Your promises for all my children.

Loving You,