Actions Speak Louder than Words

I've been reading a book for summer reading called The Deadliest Monster by J.F. Baldwin. Though this is not an easy read, and I find myself wanting to pull my hair out because it takes me quite some time to comprehend (far more than I'd like to spend), it is jam packed with lots of great teachings. I would recommend it to anyone who plans on being a preacher, missionary, or wants to deepen your understanding of Christianity and the other religions that surround us in our everyday lives.

Baldwin talks about how "Christians must understand their worldview, and they must be prepared to defend their faith--but such knowledge means nothing until it is put into practice" (135). And he tells a great story to go along with this... and it brought me to tears. I really want to share it with you guys.

Now, I know I post inserts from books in here all the time... and I feel bad because I feel like I'm giving everyone so much reading, but it's great stories. Ones that really stick out to me and make me think, "WOW. God is so good."

So, I'm going to share this with you. You don't have to read it, but I recommend it, it's a fantastic story:

"In 1967, Doug Nichols decided to travel to India as a missionary--an odd choice, considering that he did not speak the language. He expected to overcome this hurdle with the written word, using good translations of Christian tracts and the gospel of John. Unfortunately, things went downhill for Doug, and he soon found himself in a sanitarium with tuberculosis. What could be more discouraging? He had come to minister to the people of India, and instead he found himself unwell in an unsanitary place, unable to talk to the doctors, nurses and patients around him. Still worse--because he could not communicate with these people, he could not impress upon them their need for a tract or the gospel of John. NO one was willing to read his only means of sharing the gospel with them.

Doug describes what happened next:

'The first few nights, I would wake up around 2:00 a.m. coughing. One morning as I was going through my coughing spell, I noticed one of the older (and certainly sicker) patients across the aisle trying to get out of bed. He would sit up on the edge of the bed and try to stand, but because of weakness would fall back into bed. I really didn't understand what was happening or what he was trying to do. He finally fell back into bed exhausted. I then heard him begin to cry softly.

The next morning I realized what the man was trying to do. He was simply trying to get up and walk to the bathroom! Because of his sickness and extreme weakness he was not able to do this, and being so ill he simply went to the toilet in his bed.

The next morning the stench in our ward was awful. Most of the other patients yelled insults at the man because of the smell. The nurses were extremely agitated and angry because they had to clean up the mess, and move him roughly from one side to side to take care of the problem. One of the nurses in her anger even slapped him. The man, terribly embarrassed, just curled up into a ball and wept.'

The same scenario replayed the next night: Doug was awakened by a coughing spell around two in the morning, and he noticed the same man trying to weakly stand. Without stopping to think about what he was doing, Doug got up, picked up the smaller man, and carried him to the bathroom. After the man finished, Doug returned him to his bed, went back to his own bed, and went to sleep. But he did not sleep long.

At four in the morning, another patient woke Doug and used hand motions to indicate that he wanted one of Doug's tracts. As the morning went on, more patients, nurses, and doctors indicated they, too, would like one of Doug's tracts or gospel books--until every person in the hospital had one. Within a few days, several of these same people trusted Christ as their Savior!

Obviously, it wasn't true to say that Doug had no way of communicating with these people. He could use the very best means of communication: his actions."

(The Deadliest Monster by J.F. Baldwin, pages 133-134)

I read this today, and I cried. It reminded me so much of how my team and I were in China. Multiple time we would say we wish we could speak the language so we could talk with the nannies, learn more about them, and witness to them. We were stuck with the simple hand motions.

But reading this... was encouraging.

Sometimes, it's easier to show someone what you believe, than to tell them about it.

We believe in Love. An everlasting, never changing, God of Love.

We were there to Love on the kids and nannies. That's exactly what we did. Though we could not speak, I know our actions showed through that we were different, because they've told us that. I can only hope that as more teams go back, that God will show more opportunities for the nannies to know what we're all about, how Christ has changed our lives, and hopefully He can change theirs.

That's my prayer.

Just remember, actions speak louder than words. You can say you believe in one thing, but until you live it out, no one will believe that you are different.

Sometimes, it's easiest to show someone what you believe.

In Case You Ever Have Any Doubt...

You know how sometimes you have those really bad days?

And sometimes in those days you think to yourself, "Is what I'm believing really true? There are hundreds of others of beliefs out there, how can THIS one be the ONE and TRUE one?"

We all have this feeling at least once in our lives.

But then you think to yourself, "It has to be. I mean, who could ever make up all these stories about how amazing our God is. And really, how could it NOT be true, if I have this relationship with Jesus?"

But, in case you ever have any doubt.... I have story for you.

I picked up this book at a consignment sale tonight called Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan. I've only made it through the first chapter, and I'm completely amazed. I just want to share a quick story from the book (these are missions in the Asian countries):

"Native missionary Jesu Das was horrified when he first visited one village and found no believers there. The people were all worshiping hundreds of different gods, and four pagan priests controlled them through their witchcraft.

Stores were told of how these priests could kill people's cattle with witchcraft and destroy their crops. People were suddenly taken ill and died without explanation. The destruction and bondage the villagers were living in are hard to imagine. Scars, decay and death marked their faces, because they were totally controlled by the powers of darkness.

When Jesu Das told them about Christ, it was the first time they ever heard of a God who did not require sacrifices and offering to appease His anger. As Jesu Das continued to preach in the marketplace, many people came to know the Lord.

But the priests were outraged. They warned Jesu Das that if he did not leave the village, they would call on their gods to kill him, his wife and their children. Jesu Das did not leave. He continued to preach, and villagers continued to be saved.

Finally, after a few weeks, the witch doctors came to Jesu Das and asked him the secret of his power.

"This is the first time our power did not work," they told him. "After doing the pujas, we asked the spirits to go and kill your family. But the spirits came back and told us they could not approach you or your family because you were always surrounded by fire. Then we called more powerful spirits to come after you--but they too returned, saying not only were you surrounded by fire, but angels were also around you all the time."

Jesu Das told them about Christ. The Holy Spirit convicted each of them of their sin of following demons and of the judgment to come. With tears, they repented, renounced their gods and idols, and received Jesus Christ as Lord. As a result, hundreds of other villagers were set free from sin and bondage."

--Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan (pg. 21-22).

I'm sorry, but is that just not amazing? I sat reading this with my mouth wide open. There is a God, and He is REAL. He is out there protecting us and guiding us through our lives, the lives we are supposed to live for HIM.

The Movement

I've only been home for a little under two weeks.

But yet I've hardly been home since I've been "home".

At least not for a full week.

Too much traveling for me. But I think after this week, I'm done for awhile.

I'm sick of traveling.

And I think the only thing that would make me super excited about hopping in a car/bus/airplane right now, would be if I was on my way to China. No Joke.

Friends we traveled with when we adopted Miyah are in China right now on a mission trip with VO. I find myself really jealous of them. They left only a few days after I returned home. It looks like their trip has been amazing so far. Check out their blog! And please keep them in your prayers, as I know from being there, tey need protection physically and emotionally, while they are there and after they have come home.

I posted earlier this week about being ruined. Our group leader, Shannon, had a great post about how she is ruined, and feels impossible to live with.

I know what she means.

I am ruined.

It may sound cliche after she's written this long post about it... but it's true.

I don't feel the same. I don't say the same things. I don't think the same.

I'm just not... the same.

I've found myself thinking so many times through everyday situations about the orphanage and the trip. Somehow, I can relate everything back or to how the kids live.

Suddenly after being there, life doesn't seem so bad.

And I don't know what it is about this year, but it really set in. I don't know why it hit me harder this year than it did last. Maybe because I'm older? I don't know.

I don't dread making my bed everyday. When my sisters complain about picking up their room, I think of the kids who don't have a room to share with their siblings.

Those who don't even have siblings.

I don't roll my eyes EVERY time my momma asks me to unload the dishwasher (I said not EVERY time, mom), because I actually have dishes to eat from.

I don't mind doing laundry, because I'm blessed to have more than two pairs of cloths to wear.

As my sisters complain about seeing Mr. Popper's Penguins when she wants to see Cars 2 instead, I think of how the kids see very few movies, let alone are fortunate enough to go to the theater and eat popcorn with their friends.

OR at dinner when she complains about not being able to eat raw carrots without Ranch dressing. And many of those kids (if any!) probably don't even know what carrots taste like, besides them being mixed in to their mush.

Yesterday my family and I drove to Wisconson. Along the way we encountered some strange architecture on the side of the road. And I think, "Why do people waste money on that? It's not beautiful. It has no purpose--specially in the middle of nowhere. They could've used that money to send someone on a mission trip, bring a child home, or pay for a surgery."

Yeh, that's just how my brain works now.

It's not that I'm thinking bad of my sisters or those people. I do it too. I forget and have my selfish days, too. It just sickens me that we're so spoiled. We have it way better than we could imagine. We don't appreciate the little things in life. And people have so much money, that they don't know what to do with it. Why not put that money to better use, and change one person's life?

RUINED.

But I can't complain. I feel like I have something to live for now. I KNOW there are orphans out there that need help. And I was put on this earth to help them.

I think they're up to 150 million orphans in the world now. Who's going to help them?

Me.

I am. I will help them.

Since I've been home I've had this stirring in my heart that I need to do MORE. There had to be something I can do here to help. My summer mission didn't have to stop in the Chenzhou orphanage. I can still help.

I was getting so restless doing nothing. Just sitting around.

There HAD to be SOMETHING out there I could help with.

And I found it.

I found a great organization called The Movement. Many of you have probably heard of Show Hope, an organization that gives away grants to adoptive families. Show Hope was started by Steven Curtis Chapman, the main reason we started thinking about adopting (after hearing their story at a concert). The Movement is for teens, and simply put: it's teens caring for orphans.

Right up my alley.

I contacted them, and I'll be volunteering with them over the summer. Right now they're working with a Child Departement of Services near us. I've only been able to be once since I've been home... but it was so much fun. I plan to be back every week. You have NO idea how excited I am.

I hope to get my school started with what they call a club. How great would that be?

That's actually the reason why I found this. I wanted to get my school started in service projects, and my mom suggested them. And I'm so glad she did.

There were other places I looked into. Like helping stop child trafficking, or ending hunger. And those organizations are GREAT, and much needed, and I'm open for my school to be involved in them. But for some reason, they just didn't grab me.

But this did.

Orphans.

I don't know what it is about that ONE word, but it grabs me and pulls me in. It gets me everytime. Breaks my heart, and I can't help but care.

I'm glad the Lord has made this so apparent to me, and I thank Him for that on a regular basis. I finally found what I care about, and it's clear to me.

I'm so excited.

If you live in the TN area and you want to get in involved in The Movement and help out, check out the link. I reccomend it. They're fairly new, and still trying to figure everything out, but I think they're doing great. Check it out, and see how you can help!