Anna Updates

I was standing in front of the most beautiful lake this week. It completely took my breath away! I’ve always loved water and this lake was in the most perfect spot, because right behind the lake was an apartment building overlooking the lake! My sister turned to me and said “Anna, you should move back to the states, and we can get an apartment together overlooking this lake”! I won’t lie, for a minute that seemed like the best idea in the world. … “oh, that would be wonderful..” I started saying, and then the strangest thing happened. I looked around at all the people pushing their beautiful perfectly dressed babies around the lake and couples holding hands walking their dogs, and I felt this lump in my throat that at first felt like a small dryness and within a few minutes turned into a huge choking lump. All I could see were the kids at camp reaching out for their buddies as they said goodbye. .. Some of them sobbing just wanting to hang onto love and the value they felt for a few more minutes….the lump in my throat turned into tears and a constant ace that never seems to leave me. Because the truth is…why we run around our beautiful lakes and plan our lives as comfortably suited as possible, there are millions of oppressed people longing for one good meal, one breath of fresh air, one hug or touch from another loving human being. There are millions of babies laying in orphanages un held, and dressed in basically nothing.. Under nourished and starving to death. And … we can do something about it. I used to tell God and still do some what reluctantly at times, that I will be willing to help “if” God calls. But, I’ve come to believe God is always calling. It’s just do we hear Him? Or are we to comfortable? I think He is asking us in so many ways , and I really feel he is asking me right now “Whom will I send and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). I think I should clarify that I don’t think God is calling everyone to leave America, or even that He is calling me to live overseas forever. But I do believe deeply that He is calling ch.ri.st.ians to get involved with oppression in some way… and to live radically selfless lives no matter where we live. My dream of what my mind tells me is a successful life of someday pushing my perfectly dressed baby around the lake while holding hands with my husband and walking my dog, and on top of that, of course being thin and in great shape seemed significantly small on Saturday (although all those things would be wonderful!) in comparison to the great suffering that I now know exists…and God’s opinion about it. I found a desire in my spirit that can only be God tearing down my pride saying on Saturday.. “here am I, send me!” (Isaiah 6) Use me, all of me even the things I cannot stand about myself to change the world for JC! “Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!”