Sharing Hope is Holy

I never thought a little conviction and humble obedience would end up in a life transforming movement like, Bringing Holy Back. Everything is changing before my eyes. What I see, how I process, ways in which I respond. Things are changing in me from the inside out, without any thought toward doing so.

Are you starting to feel it, too?

We are becoming quite a community of women seeking to Bring Holy Back. I'm honored to be in the trenches with each one of you. You are spurring me on! If you haven't yet joined in, please do. Just visit this post and sign the linky. Blog when you can, although that is not the purpose. Living it out, is!

I was particularly struck by the holiness of last night, where I enjoyed an evening of Christmas tradition and wonderful celebration. It started with a beautiful Service of Lessons & Carols followed by a formal, community shared Christmas dinner. Even though I've lived through this tradition for the last decade, last night was like the first time. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness at being able to hear the public reading of Scripture. I was moved to tears by the words of "What Child is This?". Tradition with meaning is indeed holy.

But I supposed that it was especially moving because I recognized it as a privilege, a luxury, a blessing, as my mind was deeply focused not only on Jesus but on a little boy name Joseph.
This little one was named after Joseph in the Bible, not by his own parents, but by another child sharing his home, New Hope Orphanage in Busia, Uganda. He was found in the marketplace in June, picked up by police, and brought to Ken, the director of New Hope.

I am privy to the details of Joseph's story because my spiritual daughter happened to walk into the office shortly after Joseph's arrival, which I only found out after our family decided to sponsor him. He was certainly traumatized, being abandoned by his family. One would never know, based on this perfectly adorable picture of a little tyke.

To be left by your parents is a heartache most will never know. I only have a sense of it, and it is from that place of emotional abandonment by my father that the Lord has grown a deep well of compassion in me for the fatherless, like Joseph. It was sweet Joseph's story that pricked my heart. It wasn't his picture that caught my eye, but rather the lack of information on his sponsor page. No identity apart from what he was given by Ken and his orphanage family. No history. No roots. No one willing to call him, Son.

My family and I have been planning on sponsoring a child from New Hope since the summer, but how do you choose? They all need our resources, love, and support. How can we pick just one? On Saturday, we sat down around the computer and read a dozen stories. Stared in the eyes of children across the world needing the love of our Father through the touch of our hands. We ultimately picked Joseph because we want to commit to long-term support, and he will definitely need it. We also hope, one day, to serve on-site at New Hope, and chances are we would be able to meet Joseph. I don't think I can stand to wait. But I will trust the Lord's timing.

My heart is still aching for Thomas, Esther, Evelyn, and Alex. There so many others are on my mind, as well. They need our support, love, and care.

Would you be willing to take a practical step forward in Bringing Holy Back by sharing the Hope of Christ with these children?

You can sponsor a child here, give to a New Hope project here, or make a one-time donation and receive a free copy of my ebook, Holy Habits, here. Every little bit counts!!!

There are so many opportunities to share Christ in a holy new way. Not only by supporting New Hope financially, but also contributing to places like World Vision, where we have a sponsor child from Sri Lanka, Compassion International, and Samaritan's Purse, which Sarah Mae is raising awareness about and inspired me to make a one-time donation of Gift 2 & Gift 4 last week!

Right at home, there are as many needs which can be met by not only our donations but also our acts of service -- to soup kitchens, crisis pregnancy centers, missions organizations, and our own churches, for which we are to tithe and use our gifts for administering God's grace to others (1 Peter 4:10).

Bringing Holy Back is about stepping out to share the love of Jesus in a holy new way. Which of these opportunities is God calling you to today?

Sisters, there is so much we could do for the kingdom of God. We need to be bold, step out in faith, sacrifice the hot vanilla latte at the local coffee shop, and give our love in tangible ways to others who really need it. Trust me, God will transform your heart from the inside out as you move forward in obedience to Him. I can't even begin to describe it...

Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

By His Grace and Mighty Power,