Thankful

Tonight, as I sit in a warm house, with a full belly, I am thankful for the luxuries of having a place to live and the money to buy food. I am thankful for clothes for all seasons..whether it is hot or cold. As I sit in my parent's house, which has been opened to Mia and me as our own, I am thankful for family. I am thankful for the beautiful gift of a mom and a dad, who love me and care for me and my daughter.  Tomorrow, I will have the pleasure of eating an abundance of food with my family...parents, sisters, brother, nieces, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins, my Mema, and my Mia. I am thankful for the deep connection and sense of belonging that comes with my family.

This sense of thankfulness also happens to intensify the pain in my heart for the orphans in our nation and all across the earth who do not have a home to call their own, a room to call their own, or a family to call their own. Just this week, I learned of a need for sweaters and blankets for  some orphans in India. They have a loving group of adults to care for them in an orphanage, but the finances are tight and provision does not always come so easily when you are caring for 130 orphans. I also listened to a foster mom of 5, here in Richmond, share the stories of pain and abuse that she has encountered in her time as a foster parent. No child should EVER experience the things I heard about.

So with my thankfulness comes a desire to reach out to those who are in need of food, warmth, family and love. I will pray for extra funds to help with blankets and sweaters (and He answered already with  a gift today!), and I will pray for children who are wounded and in desperate need of love, acceptance and healing. I will ask the Lord how I can partner with Him to be hope to the hopeless.

I feel certain that I am not so richly blessed so that I can greedily hoard it for myself.  I desire to give it away...and the more He gives me, the more I make, the more I will give. It brings me great pleasure. And really, if I am going to intercede on the behalf of these kids, should I not be a part of the answer to the prayer, if I am able?