The Greatest Story: Part 2

The greatest story is about brave love. An intense, unchanging God who is ready to face any danger or pain crourageously. A love that came into the darkest night in the bramble of an overgrown forest. A love that came to a broken and bleeding heart on the ground and healed it. Its a story of humility, pain, suffering and relentless pursuing.
The God above all other gods, the Name above all other names, created a race called humanity, in the image of Himself. Agape Love filled the atmosphere. Love gives the freedom of choice and his beloved children chose rebellion, and separation ensued. No light, no hope, no love.

But the God above all other gods was a God of love. And so he pursued brave love. And so he declared to the angels and the demons, he cried out to all of creation, "I will restore this." And the Storyteller devised a plan of redemption and restoration laced together with love. He chose the flawed humanity to be his main characters. He chose you. The Storyteller knew something had to die to eliminate the death in the world, to breath life back. For a while the animals sufficed his wrath, but they were not perfect, they were flawed, so he chose brave love. He chose his son, knowing he would be rejected, knowing all would not accept His free gift of love. But we were worth it. He wanted to make us worthy.
His perfect son died a painful death as all of humanity mocked him and flaunted their sins, the reason for his death. And the heartbroken Storyteller turned his back for what had become of his story.
But a smile formed across his face as he reminded himself where the story was headed. For three days, the world was dark, hope had been murdered, the world mourned. But Sunday was coming. And Jesus rose out of his grave clothes and defeated Death. And said, "I love them more."  He promised us His Spirit to live within us. Who speaks to us, guides us, loves us, reassures us, heals us.
Then the Storyteller wrote us in, he handed the pens to us, told us his plans and whispered promises of how we could be a part in his story of redemption. We could tell his children that hope didn't stay dead. Hope rose again, it isn't about works, it isn't about finding another god to satisfy every need. It was about being loved bravely and loving bravely in return.
You are a part of the greatest story. You. Not just the missionary you support, your pastor or the one who works in youth ministry. You are a part of his greatest story.
I love being a character in His story. As my time here in Nicaragua comes to a close I hear my Author telling me, "when you go home, your role is just as important." He has given me tasks, he has given me a heart for the next step in my life and I am excited to be the pen in the next part of my story, listening to my Writer as he tells me which way to go, what to do, what to say.
My heart longs to know the ending but my hands and feet long for the now. This past week in Nicaragua, I've done a variety of things, that were paragraphs and sentences in someone else's story. I held a tiny baby and told her mom she was beautiful, told her she was worth it with my actions, and her eyes looked lighter than they did when I first met her. Her story is altered. So many memories of how others showed me those thing that burn in my head and I know it was worth it.
I was obedient to my Author and I know I was written  in.
And I trust him, I love him, I know him.

The best part of having a glimpse of the missionary life is the way it has stolen my breath, stolen my heart. Somehow, it hurts ans is abaolutley wonderful in each moment. Because I have learned something, I have learned that when stories collide, the stars shine a little bit brighter. When lives intermingle, the flowers open wider. And sometimes I wonder how out of all the 6 billion people on this planet, the storyteller sees every one, and he cares deeply about every single one. And He has sent me. He has sent you.
So, I want to invite you with me, let's live the greatest story. One where we look back and are proud of what we have done.

The Greatest Story: Part 1

I am sitting in a home and they tell me the man laying in bed was put there by the police. He'd been laying in bed for over a year. Unable to take care of himself or his family. The police thought he was another man and beat him till he was in a coma. And they didn't pay for the damages. And now he suffers brain damage an had become like a child. 
The situation should feel hopeless. I should be angry. Instead I only feel hope.
Her husband died last year. He killed himself. Drowning himself in alcohol. He died of kidney failure. She holds her year old son. But I see her friendly neighbor who loves her community sit across from her. I don't feel upset. I feel hope.

The homes built into this mountain, the treacherous way to get to them, especially in the rain bring me hope. The smiles on the faces of the children. This place is swimming in hope.
And for the first time, its not hard to trust God with these people. To trust that he cares. To trust that he is not a complacent God. But a God who speaks. A God who acts. A God who cares.
And I realize I am part of the greatest story. One that began with Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David. One that continued with Peter, Paul and Stephen. And one that doesnt revolve around me. There are moments with me written into it, but even greater are the times I get to see others stories and introduce them to the greatest storyteller himself. Jesus.
Because here in Nicaragua, the people believe going to church will save you. But jesus isn't about church. He's about loving God and loving others. Its about getting to know him and going on the greatest adventure and taking others with you. Jesus is more than church. Jesus is about pursuing the greatest relationship and im thankful he wrote me in the story in the greatest of ways. I pray my love will show the still a better way.

One more week for my team here in Nicaragua, and I am excited for the things God has yet to do. It gives me hope.

The Father Heart of God

Day 1:
My heart is stolen. Two precious little thieves took possession of my heart. She took me into her tiny home, 5 beds, little space. A momma and papa who don't care and a 10 year old brother that basically takes care of them. Have they ever felt love before? The injustice that this concept is so foreign weighs on my heart.
But here is the gift, I have a few short days to pour all my love on them. Every ounce I have ever been given will be my only gift to these two girls.
Day 2:
I love them so much. "Te amo." My words so inadequate. I read them  bible stories in my Spanish bible. Do they understand?
I come again and one of them sees me. She engulfs me in a bear hug with her tiny arms.
She feels love. She knows love maybe for the first time with my broken Spanish and my heart filled with jesus.
I hear jesus' gentle words. "Give them to me. I love them so much more than you do." How is that possible? Because the love I experience is so great I can't even explain it. I know it is God's father heart overflowing with love, first onto me, out pouring onto these beautiful children. What is my capacity? When will I run out? When will my heart break? I've thought about the day I must leave them. And my heart aches. A burden i am not sure I can bear. And Satan whispers lies, "Love isn't worth it. This will break you. This will crush you. Don't do it." But my Father's words are sweeter. "Pull me a little closer, take me a little deeper." I have finally found where I belong. In the arms of love.
Day 3:
If I love them this much and you love them so much more, then I feel safe giving then to you. I feel safe loving them with nothing left even when I know just how much it will hurt.
You answered my prayers you gave us an opportunity to share the gospel with their parents. Your hand is on this family. I know and I can confidently say that I trust you. Your hands are softer your love is more gentle, your heart is deeper and your arms are wider and you will never run  dry. Thank you for that.

Day 4:
I have one more day and I can feel my heart breaking. I can hear God whispering, "Leah, keep on loving." I'll give her my everything, but I know it will hurt. I'll give her Jesus. God says to me, "my love for her is unconditional." Am I the only one to ever love her?
He promises, "I know the plans I have for her. Plans to prosper her and not to harm her, plans to give her a future and a hope." And I trust him more than I ever have. Because I know his love and I know that he began a good work in her and he will complete it by the day or christ jesus. I believe these promises.

Day 5:
It's over. Our goodbye happened in the blink of an eye and then she was gone. The tears came, as they should. Goodbye is a terribly, bittersweet thing. But in the words of Winnie the pooh. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

I asked for this. A week ago, I prayed an apparently dangerous prayer. "God, give me a greater revelation of your father heart." And since I have experienced a love I cannot explain. If I can love this much as a flawed human, and it is only a faint shadow of the love God feels. His heart of love is so deep, so vast and expansive, yet so deep and so intimately personal. How could I ever doubt his love? I can't doubt that he will take care of Ashly. Of course he would want to speak to her as he wants to speak to me. We are his daughters. My heart is broken as I have to be the one to leave her. His heart can never be broken for that. His heart breaks when we run from him. He always pursues. Always. I felt this love and I am compelled to trust him.
Its like I am drowning in an ocean of love, I can feel his heart beating next to mine.
And now, I can love bravely. A strong love that comes from God, and shows me how to lean not on my own understanding. A love that might now be safe, but a love that I trust.