Dear God,
Oh my precious Heavenly Father...what a journey you have taken me on! When you "whispered" to me back in 1994, "sponsor a child", I had no idea what you were thinking. I was just a college student without a lot of money, but I did think it would be cool to have a little sister in Africa. In your providence, you matched me up with the best girl possible, Judith. I see that now as I look back through her letters. And now, 18 years later, the relationship we developed through sponsorship provides the springboard for my advocacy.
Speaking of advocacy, my involvement in that came from another "whisper". You seem to work that way in my life. When you want to do something BIG, you whisper to me.
I cannot thank you enough for asking me to join you on this big adventure. I see you everywhere in the ministry of Compassion International, and I am honored and privileged to be allowed to come alongside the work you are already doing.
Every single step of this journey has been ordained by you. Every child I have sponsored or corresponded with, no matter the length of time, has been a gift from you. For every child I have advocated and helped get sponsored, I give you praise.
My trip to Peru in 2010 was a highlight and such a beautiful gift. The funny thing about that trip is that my going on it didn't really make sense to me, at least not initially. Of the 14 kids I sponsored at the time, none of them lived in Peru. Why would I go to Peru? Oh....you had your reasons (David, Emanuel and Jazmin) and even now, two years later, some of those reasons are still being revealed to me. And then this year, when I wanted so badly to go to Kenya to meet Dominic, you provided a way for me to see him and hear his precious voice.
It's all a gift. One big, beautiful gift. You created me for this - to be a sponsor and to be an advocate. This path...this journey....it has a completely different view than what I expected. Sometimes it's really hard to look because it's not always pretty. But then I see You - in the faces of the children - and realize it's the only view I want to look at.
I love how sponsorship allows me to participate in some of your greatest commands. In the Great Commission, you command your disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. Through sponsorship I can do that. I can sponsor children all over the world and disciple them through letters and prayers. And the whole "love your neighbor as yourself" thing has taken on new meaning since I became a sponsor. Yes, being a sponsor is really just an extension of loving you.
Thank you for inviting me on this journey. And thank you in advance for what is yet to come.
Humbly, Jill
**If God is whispering to you, please take the first step and sponsor a child. And if you join me on this journey, please let me know so I can be an encouragement to you.
