Faith

2We always thank God for all of you,

mentioning you in our prayers.

3We continually remember before our God and Father

your work produced by faith,

your labor prompted by love,

and your endurance inspired by hope

in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thessalonians 1:2,3

When I think about faith my daughter, Elizabeth, immediately comes to mind! She is one of the strongest women I know with a deep faith, a true love for God and a heart for service to Him!

Elizabeth, her husband Michael and daughter Addy are going on a mission trip in February! They will be serving in an orphanage in Sierra Leone for 10 days. She is very excited about the trip and has started efforts in fund raising to get the money together for the trip.

For we are God's workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

They made the decision to take Addy on the trip because Elizabeth wants Addy to grow up with a servant's heart. Addy went through her toys a couple of weeks ago to gather things to send to one of the girls at the orphanage. Elizabeth talked to her about giving some of her best and favorite toys, jewelry, etc. rather than those things that she no longer wanted. Addy understood and picked some very nice things to send to Fatu, the 9-year old girl in the orphanage. I think that was an awesome lesson for Addy and I know that the trip will be great for her, as well.

Elizabeth wants Addy to see how the children live, the meals they have (only two meals per day, consisting of rice/beans) and the fact that they have very few toys. They keep in touch with another family that has just returned from the orphanage in Africa and have learned how the children living at the orphanage love and care about each other. The children are very close and willingly share everything that they have with each other. I know that will be a huge learning experience for Addy and can hardly wait to talk to her about it upon their return.

Addy lives in a household where God is first in everything they do. She is homeschooled to guard her innocence and her childhood. She is involved in many activities - gymnastics, swimming, church, playdates with friends and is a very social little girl. She is very secure in herself, polite and loving. I am so proud of her and of her parents - they are doing an awesome job!

Titus 2: 11) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

12) It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

13) while we wait for the blessed hope

—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

14) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness

and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I see so many children - young children whose innocence seems lost so quickly! They wear makeup at an early age - even as early as seven or eight! They dress in skimpy clothing and seem to be a part of the world rather than set apart from it. I hear people talk about kids today and wondering what has happened - teen pregnancy, alcohol/drug use/abuse, children having s*x at such an early age! Maybe it should be considered that children have been allowed to do most things - makeup, dating, etc - so early that they've done it all by the time they reach their teenage years and are bored with normal life!

I'm so thankful and blessed that Elizabeth has grown into such an awesome, Godly woman. My son, who is 18, is still searching. He is at the age we all went through, believing that he knows best and even those of us with life experience don't know as much as he knows. I pray daily that God will protect him and that he will accept Christ as his personal savior. He grew up in a different environment than Elizabeth did and the differences are visible. He is a great kid with a huge heart and I love him dearly. I have faith that he will grow into the man God wants him to be.

I wish that I had been so wise as a young mother. I'm thankful for the woman she has become - faithful God follower, wife, mother, friend, daughter.

Is there someone you think of when you think of faith and what is special about that person? I would love to hear about your stories of faith, so if you comment - leave me a link!

In His Love and Blessings
annb