I've got sunshine...

 

*photographed by Keely Scott

Today was an awesome day for me.

A few weeks ago, a group of bloggers all took a trip with Compassion International to India. They blogged and photographed the entire trip, revealing not only how Compassion can touch the life of a child, but also the extreme poverty in which these children live. I think we all have a picture of what it might look like in our minds, but we really never fully comprehend what their lives are like. I'm sure a part of us doesn't always want to know.

Well I followed those blogs and felt like I was there. Or as close as I could get from my comfy chair in my air-conditioned home.

God spoke to me. Not just once. Everyday. He spoke to me, and has continued to speak to me everyday since. I knew I needed to sponsor a child. And really, what is $32 a month?? One dinner out with the family? A couple trips to the fast food joint? 8 coffees at that one place? (Yes. Pretty pathetic. Making a HUGE difference in a child's life costs the same as 8 coffees.) How many times have we chosen those coffees over that kid?

But anyway, because of how things have been going for us lately, Big Hunk was just a little distracted. You know, with working his tail off 60 hours a week and barely having time to spend with his family. So it just was another thing on the long list of items needing his attention. And I dared not nag. ;) But I prayed. And prayed. I prayed everyday that God would do a work on BH's heart and that without me saying a word (okay, maybe just a couple), he would come to me and tell me we could sponsor a child.

I know my husband. He never tells me no simply to be a jerk. Never. He only tells me no when a.) we truly can't do it, or b.) he just has too much on his mind and has to let everything process. I knew he would never say no to sponsoring a child. I mean really- who would do that? I just simply had a hard time waiting! But this poor man has been SO overwhelmed lately that he can't even think straight. Now I won't lie and act like I never said a word about it and just let God do His thing. Unfortunately I am an expert on saying too much, and this was no exception. But my sweet man just kept telling me to hold on. I knew it could be weeks (or months) before he felt we were financially straight enough to afford yet another expense.

So today when I checked out the Living Proof blog and saw that 900 kids had been sponsored through Compassion simply from the India bloggers trip, I was stoked! On top of that, Compassion had JUST sponsored their 1 millionth child. How awesome is that?! So I copied and pasted that LP link and sent it to Big Hunk- just to show him what God is doing. But as I continued to read the blog, I realized that Living Proof was actually offering TEN scholarships to sponsor a child! Offering ten people, who have wanted to sponsor one but couldn't afford it, the chance to be a sponsor to a child in East India. To write letters and send photographs- to be Jesus in the flesh for someone they'd never met. Needless to say, I typed faster than my little fingers ever have, and I entered. Did I mention they were only leaving the contest open for 1 hour?

But you know what? I won.

I won!!!!

When I saw my name I screamed so loud "thank you God!!" and was immediately in tears. I told the kids "God answered my prayer!!" and relayed to them what had just happened. I was, and am, so ecstatic!! I've been on Cloud 9.

God always answers prayers. It just may sometimes be a "no" or we are too consumed in ourselves and our own lives to even see His work. But today, I saw His work.

I am so thrilled to go to bed tonight, praying for that boy or girl that will be our sponsored child. That we will watch grow up and communicate with and share the love of Jesus with.

Today has been a good, good day.