Extravagant Love

"Perfectly perfect! Sweet tempered, smiley, absolutely adorable, healthy and solid".  These are the blessed words that came through on a text to me today about my SON!   My sweet friend, Jennifer Verme, who by God's design was in Rwanda and heading into Ethiopia with a team from Visiting Orphans  when we got our referral, graciously went out of her way to contact me, work out all the details to get my photo release and then spent time with our little boy in his transitional home.  Today, my heart is full!  As I read her words, I wept.  How do you ever put into words to someone how much it means to know they loved and held your child when your arms physically couldn't be there to do it yourself?  How do you re-pay that?  You don't (well, actually you pray like the wind that this same family gets THEIR referral of their little girl so you can do the same on one of your trips!)

As I sat processing her text and my joy, it hit me and I began to sob!  It's why he calls us in James 1:27 to "Visit" the orphans.  It's why I went to Ethiopia myself, serve on the Visiting Orphans Board of Directors and with passion try to get others to do the same ... Because he loved us first and they are HIS children that he longs for someone to love!  How can you say no?  


As a believer, I am often struck with the reality that the God I serve sent his One and Only son to this earth and then because of my sin, sent him to die on a cross for me!  Processing the reality of that gift is on many days far past the reality of what my human mind can fathom.   In my flesh, I work to try and figure out how I can "pay that back", only the Lord doesn't want anything in return ... but one thing, our hearts!  He wants us to love him and love him extravagantly!  Today I got it!

When I read the words from my friend, my heart was overwhelmed that my child was loved!  How much more so, then, must the Lord feel when he sees us doing the same for his children!  The love we have for Levi is nothing in comparison to the Lord's love for him and 163 million just like him, his fatherless.  What must he feel when he sees us loving his children?  What must he feel when he sees us caring for them?

I have thought for so long that we care for the orphan and the least of these because first, He tells us to do so (obedience) - "Pure Religion is this; care (visit) the orphans and the widows in their distress and keep oneself polluted from the world" James 1:27.  Living a life to please the Lord is also living in obedience.  It is doing what he says and well, frankly, he says to care for the orphans.  Period.

But, after going on a Visiting Orphans trip myself, I soon saw a whole new side why the Lord might call us to go.  When we do, it is us that are changed.  We see what he sees and frankly, we cannot walk away and remain blind anymore to the realities of this world.  When we visit the orphans, he wrecks our hearts and we are prompted to do more.  What a great salesman he is, huh?  He knows by getting us there, the rest is history.  Go and visit he says ... because then I can fully get your attention and your heart!

But today, I felt something totally different.  As I sat reading those words I realized that Jennifer was loving my son for me!  My heart was full and I felt so completely and extravagantly loved by her gift of doing so.  Extravagantly!!!  Is this exactly how I want my Lord to feel?
All the Lord wants from me is my heart and all I want to do for him in return for all he has done for me is to love him extravagantly.   I can do this!  We can do this!!  When we go and visit his children and are his hands to them, we lavish our love on Him by loving them!   When we hold his children, sponsor his children and adopt his children, his heart is FULL and he feels completely and extravagantly loved!

I don't know about you, but that is exactly how I want to love the Lord who blesses me!

If thats you too, then let me help you get started with just 3 of the many ways you can do it!

1.)  Sponsor a child!  For $34/month, you can give a child in Awassa, Ethiopia the Hope of 2 meals a day, an education, medical/dental care and discipleship.  I have 80, yes, 80 reasons why you should consider this.  Please contact me if you are interested (cmartine@satx.rr.com).  I can get you set up and hey ... don't worry, we will also be taking in teams to love our children there so you can fulfill that "GO"
portion too!  The children in this CarePoint are counting on the Hope that you will think they are worth it.

2.)  GO GO GO!  I love Visiting Orphans and you will too!  Check out all their trips and find one that is calling you.  Go and love extravagantly his children and in return, love him!  Have any questions about trips or the ministry,  I'm happy to answer those as well.  Want to consider a spring trip ... see above.  The trip to the CarePoint in Awassa will be sponsored/organize through Visiting Orphans.  Details coming soon ... but my adorable hubby will be one of your team leaders.

3.) Adopt!  I'd love to chat with you about adoption too!  If you are called on this journey, the Lord will make straight your paths.  Don't let fear of the unknown stand in the way ... see that remark on "obedience".  If he calls, obey him.  You will be BLESSED!   I serve on the Board for our adoption agency and we are on our 2cnd adoption through them.  With that said, I can speak to how amazing America World is.  Go check them out!

O.K. what are you waiting on!  Go love Him extravagantly!