I’ve come to realize just how much of a “God thing” it was
that I *stumbled* upon Reece’s Rainbow.
You see I was just 13 years old, I was new to blogging, and had
originally gotten into blogging to make money using Google Adsense. Never in a million years would I have imagined
that I would have my eyes opened and heart shattered into pieces, a thousand
times over, and over again, by a crisis such as the 147 million orphans that
are currently in the world today.
I was 13. I was young, immature, and could have easily
turned away and focused on the “typical” likes, and dislikes of every other 13
year old girl…but I didn’t. I ask myself
“What would cause a 13 year old to focus solely on others? And special
needs? That’s not *normal* for a 13 year
old.” And I could never figure out the “right” answer. Until yesterday, as I was leaving
Walmart. I’m currently on vacation in
Missouri, we stopped by Walmart to pick up a few things and as I was parading
my little brothers out to the van, I
passed a mama, and her two little girls, one with Down syndrome. It was in that moment when I looked at this
sweet pea, as she giggled with her sister that God revealed the cause of my
passion: Him. He is the reason, and I
know it seems simple but really think about it.
Yes, he gave me my passion, but why.
Why at 13 years old? Why 5 years
later am I still breaking my heart over these kids? Why is this passion still here?
There is a quote that’s rather popular amongst those of us
that are *obsessed* with missions trips, that says “God doesn’t call the
equipped, he equips the called.” We are
all called to do something, and God teaches, allows, and gifts us exactly what
we need for the passions that we are called to pursue. For me he began equipping me at 13 years old,
He began stretching the lengths of my love, while growing my knowledge of the
orphan crisis. I’m 18 now, and I still
continue to learn more about the conditions, and brokenness of the orphan every.single.day. I never stop learning, and my passion only
grows bigger, and deeper. I find myself
wanting to do more than blog, I want to go, and do, I want to move and use my hands, I want to push myself till I feel like I can’t
do anymore, and then ask God to push me further. Katie
Davis’ book: Kisses From Katie, has one of my all time favorite quotes:
“We bend. I bend to sweep
crumbs and I bend to wipe vomit and I bend to pick up little ones and wipe away
tears… And at the end of these days I bend next to the bed and I ask only that
I could bend more, bend lower. Because I
serve a Savior who came to be a servant.
He lived bent low. And bent down
here is where I see His face. He lived,
only to die. Could I? Die to self and just break open for love. This Savior, His one purpose to spend Himself
on behalf of messy us. Will I spend
myself on behalf of those in front of me? And people say “Don’t you get tired? And
yes, I do. But I’m face to face with
Jesus in the dirt, and the more I bend the harder and better and fuller this
life gets. And sure we are tired, but oh
we are happy. Because bent down low is
where we find fullness of joy.”
That quote describes the every want of my heart. I want to live bent low, I want to go to the
scary places, I want God to use me in ways I never thought possible, I want to
go where love is needed.
So yes, it was/is a total God thing that at the age of 13
years old I, uneducated, immature, and blind to the horribly dark corners of
the world, stumble upon a photo-listing, and had my heart broken by faces that
were locked away for being who they were made to be. But it was no accident, and it was in fact
all part of God's beautiful, and sometimes scary plan for my life. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other
way. I am in love with the unique
passions that God has put in my heart, and I strive everyday to accomplish them
so that I when the time comes I can hear God say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
With love,
Alyssa
