It's the Little Things that Make a Difference

We are entering into a time of transition as we look to start construction of our youth-orphanage program in August.  I have really been challenged to look at my schedule and figure out how I want to best invest my time as we start transitioning into focusing more the youth-orphanage program construction.  Unfortunately I am the type of person that wants to please everybody, so I typically say "yes" to anything anybody asks me.  I have really been convicted though that this really does no good to me nor the people I say "yes" to.  When I say "yes" to something, I am saying "no" to another.  If you have a few minutes please check out the beginning of this sermon by Francis Chan on "First Things First" in the book of Haggai.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-DSjmvIIEs

There are a lot of needs at the Kids in Victory orphanage where we are serving at.  30 kids.  Each kid has various unmet needs.  Seeing those needs, I have tried to help them all.  So I've taken on a million different projects and I've found that even though I'm doing a lot, I'm not doing it well.  God has really convicted me on investing well in these kids.  So instead of taking on a lot of projects, I'm really trying to focus on taking on a few things, but really pouring myself into that fully.  In doing so I have found that I actually have more joy and peace in the little moments.

Last Wednesday the kids were in a devotional in the living room.  I was sitting and reflecting in the adjoining dining room as they sang.  An 8 year old boy Brian comes up to me and gives me a hug.  He then looks at me in the eyes and asks me to forgive him for the other day when he disobeyed me.

Brian & Rene

Lets rewind a second...  The other day this sweet, little Brian was the angry, screaming Brian who was yelling at anybody and everybody.

So back to Wednesday night, Brian hugs me and asks for forgiveness for how he had treated me and for not listening to me.  He says that he wants to change, but doesn't know how.  He sits down and we start to talk.  I ask him why he asked for forgiveness?  He says that he know he was wrong when he disobeyed and that God has put us in his life to correct him and guide him because we love him.

We talk for another few minutes about how he cannot change on his own sharing with him the following example.  It would be like taping apples onto an orange tree, expecting the tree to start growing apples.  Is the orange tree going to change?  He laughs and says "of course not".  It is the same with us.  If we try to change by doing better things will it really last?  We need to change our foundation, our roots.  We can truly change and transform if we have Jesus as our foundation and He is the acting and driving force.  Brian tells me that is what he wants and the hugs me.  After about 2 seconds he pulls away, but I pull him back and keep hugging him.  He starts crying and I embrace him.  After about 5 minutes he shares with me that this was the best hug he has ever had.  He had never had a real hug before.

I'm really starting to see that it is the little things in life that go a long way.  But if I get caught up in doing, doing, doing, I lose myself.  I don't want to "find myself" in what I do, but rather I want to "lose myself" in what Jesus has done for me.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and financial support.  Please check out our Enfoque Ciudad blog with more updates on construction:  http://enfoqueciudad.org/