Giving Our All

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16-17, NIV.

As I discussed with 8-year old son and 15-year old daughter children the possibility that I might go to Aceh to help with the relief effort there, it became apparent that neither of them were too crazy about the idea. They both kept asking why I had to go. Why couldn’t it just be someone else? Didn’t I know it might be a hard trip and could even be dangerous? Together, one night, we read from Matthew 25: 31 – 46, “I was hungry and you gave me food…” After talking about this Scripture, they both said they would think about it some more.
 
The next morning, my son came to me and asked that we read the story again. After we read it again, he left the room for a few minutes and then returned, handing me a handful of money.

“What’s this?” I asked him.

“It’s all my Christmas money. I want you to go to the tsunami survivors, and I want you to use this money to buy medicine and food for the people there. I want to be like the widow and give all my money to God,” he said. I could hardly speak; I was so moved.
 
The night before I was to leave, my daughter came to me and asked me what she could do to help me. She offered her long-sleeved shirts, her watch (my battery had died), and her new digital camera for me to take with me. She, too, was giving from her heart.

I praise the Lord for the opportunity to see my children learn from His Word and to see them live like Him!! A situation with the potential for family conflict has become a precious time for our family as we all serve the tsunami victims in our own way.

Pray for:

Personnel who are leaving their own families for one or two weeks at a time to serve in Aceh—interpreting for volunteers and serving in many different ways.

Their light to shine before men so that others may see their good works and glorify our Father who is in Heaven.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.