147 million reason to look in the mirror!

Are you a little confused as to why you'd open my blog to find Michael Jackson serenading you?  No, I haven't lost my mind but am thinking even though we all thought he lost his, he may have gotten at least one thing right in his life.  Have you listened to the lyrics of his song "Man in the Mirror"?  I was driving down the road the other day when it came on the radio and found myself jamming away to Michael ... crazy enough.   But as I listened,  I realized how great the lyrics were.

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
No message could have been any clearer ..
If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make THE change!"

 ... "there are kids on the streets without enough to eat.  Who am I, to be blind, pretending not to see their need"?

Well, Michael, your lyrics were dead on!  We've got a 147 million reasons alone to look at ourselves in the mirror!  I can't tell you how many times people tell me how they don't get involved in one thing or another because they don't think they alone can make an impact.  We've spoken on numerous occasions about the orphan crisis and often, people look at you totally overwhelmed ... where do you even begin to start to effect 147 million orphans is often what we hear.  Well, sing it, Michael, it begins with YOU!

YOU and you alone can make a difference.  Whatever you do for one is making a difference in the 147 million.  We made a difference in Maliah's life, we'll surely make a difference in Levi's.  I'm pretty sure that Zama, the little girl we sponsor through Children's Hope Chest is thankful for her sponsorship and the difference it makes by providing funds for schooling, food and her carepoint in Bevini.  I know that the 3 kids who arrived here from Haiti last night in the arms of their new family were sure thankful for the difference that that one family made!  I know that Keemberlie in an orphanage in Haiti who is awaiting approval to come home to her family is sure thankful that her future family thought that she was worth the change they will make to bring her home.  I know that Ruth and Isaiah in St. Vincent met their future family last week.  They too await that final arrival home.  I wonder if my sweet friends ever said that they couldn't do enough or I don't know where to begin.  In fact, I know they prayed hard and are sacrificing much to make this happen.  BUT, when they look back at those kids, they'll know the change they made in their hearts and the change in their priorities sure made a difference!  Yep, one at a time these families are impacting the crisis.

What about you?  Are you wondering how you can make a difference?  Maybe you aren't the one to adopt ... but don't let the enemy feed you anymore lies ... whatever you do for the least of these MATTERS and is necessary!

So, where do you begin?  Well, let me tell you about a conference where many are coming together to make that difference.  Doug and I are super excited about the "Together for Adoption" conference in Austin next weekend.  We will be hosting the America World exhibit.  Their will be many agencies, many ministries and the pillars of the orphan and adoption community there to speak.  Go check out that site of the line up of speakers, exhibitors and ministry partners.  WOW!  I wonder if the founders of each of those ministries ever thought that they weren't big enough to impact change.  Probably so ... but look at their amazing work!

If you were here in 2008 and attended the Gala we hosted, then you heard Tom Davis.  He blew away our crowd and in one night, the Lord used his words to bring 4 children into forever families, one man accepted Christ and $40,000 was raised towards the Orphans Ticket Home.     When the Lord told me in the shower to do a Gala, I never dreamt what he'd do.  I was just a Mom with a passion and some awesome friends who were willing to jump in!  Anyways, Tom will be there hosting break out sessions and talking about human/child trafficking.  If you want to know more about his ministry go read up on Children's Hope Chest.

The weekend will be full of break out sessions to help your church start orphan ministries, adoption grant programs, foster/domestic/international and orphan care.  Karen Purvis who is the author of "The Connected Child" will be having a pre-conference workshop all day Thursday.  I personally CANNOT wait for this one.  I have so much to glean from her.

Anyways, I say all this to say, that indeed, take a look in the mirror and know that YOU alone can make a difference.  Maybe the Lord is calling you to go to the "ends of the earth".  If so, go check out Visiting Orphans and GO be Jesus to his fatherless.   Maybe he's calling you to adopt or to be a foster parent (WOW, I have learned what a need that is!).  Maybe he's calling you to help someone else adopt through partnering with them financially and through prayer.  Maybe your called to sponsor a child.  Go check out Children's Hope Chest.  That's where we met Zama.  I love this ministry!

Whatever it is he's calling you to do ... DO IT!  Don't let the enemy feed you one more lie that says that you aren't big enough to tackle the crisis.  You are!  Listen to those lyrics again ...
"If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change ... the man in the mirror!"

Sing on Michael ... that is indeed a legacy we'd all love to leave behind!
You've got 147 million reasons you should stop and take that look!