From the very first Haitian church service I ever went to, I have fallen in love with the Spirit-filled worship of our big God. Worshipping with Haitians always reminds me just how big our God is. Offering praise as the diverse body of Christ to the God of the universe is indescribable. My God is BIG.
Spending time loving on the children at Children's Hope reminds me how big my God is. Watching His love transform their hearts as they grow physically, intellectually, and spiritually is amazing. God cares for them each specifically and extravagantly. My God is BIG.
Going to different schools and sharing the incredible story of our saving grace puts God in His rightful place in my heart. Sharing His story opens my heart to see Him on His throne looking down and smiling on ALL his beloved children. My God is BIG.
However, the most amazing thing about the great size of my God is that He is mine. He is personal. He pours His great love on me personally. He shows His deep sincerity for me personally. My God is BIG, and He is mine.
The same God who knows all the stars in the sky knows the number of red hairs on my head. The same God who raises the sun every morning, rejuvenates my heart with His word in my morning quiet time. The same God who sent His son to die for this fallen world covers me with grace for ALL my failures. The same God I read to Lovensky about is the same god who carries me through each day. (Lovensky is a child at Children's Hope who had surgery on Monday, so I read him a kids creole Bible when he had to be in bed all day.) My God is personal.
My God shows me how big and personal He is at the same time by constantly working in really cool ways. Before I came to Haiti this time, the Lord burdened my heart with memorizing Scripture. I've been working with the kids at Children's Hope to learn Bible verses in Creole. For every verse they memorize, they get a piece of candy. (However, I think the nannies enjoy the candy way more than the kids do! They come to me everyday telling me the Bible verse and asking for candy!) It has been fun memorizing verse in Creole and watching the kids get excited about learning God's Word, but God has used these verses in more ways than just with our kids. I love to teach what the Lord has taught me, and I get so excited to teach Haitian children about our great God. So, when teams go to schools, I love to join them. This week I had the opportunity to do that. As I was singing and sharing with the kids about how our Savior loves and died for us, I got to teach them a verse of praise for God. The Lord gave me the opportunity to do what I love and exceeded expectations as the children and I recited Psalm 107:1 to God. My God is big, and He is personal. He uses tiny things in my life personally to experience His greatness. It always amazes me when God uses the things He teaches me personally to share for the hope of expanding His kingdom! (Romans 8:24- For in this hope we are saved. But hope that is seen is not hope at all. Who hopes in what he already has?) The Lord burdened my heart to exceed expectations!
While I've been here, I have committed to memorizing a verse (in English) for everyday. God's Word is alive, and my God is big. Its amazing how each verse is so relevant to each specific day in unique ways.
So what is the appropriate response to God's great size and personal character? WHOLEhearted selfLESSness. It is our responsibility and greatest joy to give up ourselves. It is not about us and thank goodness it isn't. It is our privilege to give our whole hearts to Him for Him to transform and mold for His glory. My God is big, and He is the biggest. There is nothing greater or bigger than God, so we trust Him wholeheartedly. We, who are in Christ, cannot be defeated. There is nothing to fear. Wholehearted selflessness is my prayer. The holder of my world and my heart deserves ALL of me. My life is not about me but my Holder.
Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.
Sòm 107:1
Lwanj pou Senyè a paske li bon! Li p'ap janm sispann renmen nou.
2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me His prisoner. But join me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life- not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
Romans 8:37
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
P.S. I want to thank everyone for all the encouragement for Volunteer of the Year. Thank you! It almost seems funny to receive an award for doing what I love, but the award is truly just a 'thank you' to God for wanting to use me and allowing me to be a part of His work.
