Keep Shining

   

Over the past few days, I have been reading a book that I recently found on my mother's bookshelf called Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. This true story features a young women, Katie Davis herself, who literally gave up everything for the work God had called her to do in Uganda. She gave up comfort, wealth, college, marraige, everything, just to go and spend time teaching the word of God and loving on the orphans there. She eventually founded a non-profit organization known as Amazima (http://amazima.org/) that helps to provide schooling, medical treatment, a place to live, and other essentials for orphans there who have lost everything. She is also in the process of adopting thirteen little girls that she has taken in. She is truly a remarkable woman of God and, if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend taking the time to read her story. I know you will be truly blessed by all that God has called her to do.

   

   Throughout the unveiling of her story, she speaks a lot about the many different things God has shown her throughout her journey in Uganda. There are many of these revelations that have stuck with me, but there is one in particular that has stayed on my heart for a while. 

  Throughout Katie's story she talks a lot about all the darkness that surrounds her everyday. Adults and children dying of disease, parents abandoning children, child slavery, war, starvation, the list goes on and on. She talks about how hard it can be some days to just go out and face it all because it can be so overwhelming. And just like in Uganda there is darkness everywhere. People are lonely and lost around every corner.  

   Sometimes I think about all the evil in the world and I become extremely overwhelmed, just like Katie, not really knowing what to do. When I think about spreading the Gospel and all the people that need help, at times, it seems absolutely impossible. Katie compared it to trying to empty the ocean with an eyedropper. Which is exactly how it feel sometimes. In the midst of it all, though, she remembers one thing.

   

   God says in his word that we are to be a light in the immense darkness of this world.

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." ~ Matthew 5:14

   God created us to shine and overflow with his love for all to see. Even when we are completely surrounded by evil we are able to shine for his glory, so that others may see our light and want to know more. 

   Before we can be a light to others, though, we must first let God light a flame in our hearts. How can we light flames for other people without having that same flame lit in us first? It's like trying to teach someone how to ride a bike when you have no idea how to ride one yourself. It just doesn't work. It also applies to other aspects, not just shining God's light. How are you supposed to love others without having let God fill you up with his love first? How are you supposed to tell people about God and his amazing, restoring power if you've never let him restore you and fix you up? If you've never had a deep relationship with him?

  I had never thought of it this way before and I had one of those moments where I was just like, "Hmm.... Oh, I get it! That makes so much sense!" This revelation has been a great reminder.  This aspect has really impacted me and I hope to work on deepening my relationship with God everyday. I have begun to pray everyday that God will fill me with his light and love so that I may share that with the people I come in contact with. Whether it be in my everyday life or on the mission field, I hope to be able to overflow with his joy and peace so that others may see him through me. 

   Of course there will be days that are difficult and it's hard to see God in the midst of everything. Just remember that God created you to shine his everlasting flame. Did you read that? Let me repeat it again. His everlasting flame. Meaning never ceasing, always burning bright. With God's help that light will always shine and the darkness can never overcome it (John 1:5). No matter how hard Satan tries he will never win. No matter what's going on around you just remember one thing. Keep shining God's light and you will help to empty the ocean one eye dropper drop at a time.