When I shared with the girls what was happening with God's precious children in the Lake Volta area of Ghana, and how God would help them, Madison became one of our prayer warriors, always asking faithfully and with hope each Sunday how our fundraising was going: "Which percent are you at now?"
Her face always a mixture of pure belief and concern, waiting with anticipation, knowing He promised to provide, waiting to see how He would, understanding the priceless freedom for these children was held in the balance.
Our recent conversation stood out in my mind today. I had shared that we had just passed her age in percentage, that we were getting closer to 13%. She was excited, but I could tell that she knew that with less than 2 months to go, that meant God had some pretty big miracles up His sleeves that He hadn't shown us just yet.
I bent down as I spoke with her, so that we could see each other eye to eye, and we made the decision right then and there that since we were past her age in percentage, we simply had to start praying for God to help us reach MY age in percentage. She grinned, I grinned, we did a high five, and we went our separate ways, promising to keep in touch.
To young kids, parents are like, ancient, you know?
Yesterday, I broke the news to her that we were still at 12%. It's hard to know what went through her mind, but she looked deep in thought. I told her that God would show up, we'd get there. We had to keep our eyes upon Him.
A few days earlier, I had been interviewed by a reporter doing an article on what God was doing through us for these children in Ghana, and at the very end of the interview, she asked "So, I've got to ask, $30,000 is a big amount... do you think you can pull this off?"This question always catches me off guard. I know we can't, I know God can, but how do you explain that? I shared the story of Nehemiah, and said we can't, but God can, and He will, we have to believe this, we have no doubt.Yet the question still played through my mind over and over again long after the interview was over, until the answer came to me the following morning:"God never asked us if we could do it... He only asked us if we trusted that He could."The answer was an unwavering, rock solid -- YES!
Today, I received an email sharing that we had just received a generous, unexpected, blow-your-socks-off donation into our non-profit account at Interlink. I do not know yet from whom, aside to simply know it's from Him, through someone whose heart He has touched for His children.
46%!!!
How do you begin to process this? How do you find the words? It's times like these that I'm so grateful that worship and praise needs no words... Our love to Him transcends all languages, all situations.
Just a few days ago, my thoughts were on Nehemiah's story, stone by stone, Jerusalem being built in 52 days... today, these children are many stones closer to this school being built. God is bringing His people together, beyond measure.
We didn't do this, He did.
All we can do is continue to serve, believe, trust, worship, pray and praise God through Whom all the blessings flow...
AND...
Set the record straight with Madison: I'm 36, not 46, but if she'd like to think I'm 100, I'm cool with that. :)
