I just finished reading the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. This book has rocked my world a little bit. It has made me re-evaluate the way I approach life. I encourage all of you to read it, if you haven’t already. The section of the book that stood out most to me was a section on belief. It says:
Dying for something is easy because it is associated with glory. Living for something is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe.
-Donald Miller
This quote made me really look at my life. What do I believe? I know I believe in God. I know I believe in loving others more than myself. I know that I believe that you should help others at every opportunity that you get. This is what I believe, but is it how I live? If you were to look at my day-to-day life, I don’t think this is what you would see. You would see that I believe in myself. I believe in working out. I believe in most of the time doing what I want to do first, before doing things for others. How different would my every day life be if I were to live for what I believed? How different would the world be if we all lived for what we believe? It is a lot harder, a lot less accepted to live for the things that I believe. The world understands living for yourself, living for working out, living for putting food on the table and a roof over your head, living for your future and your dreams. It is much less accepted to live for God, to live for others before yourself, to live for loving others- truly, genuinely loving others- even those that harm you. From here on out I need to start living for what I believe. I need to make a conscious effort to each and every day live my life not for myself, but for God, and for others. I have less than four months left in Malawi. Now would be the perfect time to make a change and show the world what I believe. To show God what I believe. To show you what I believe.
What do you believe? Is it the same as what you live for?
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” 2 Thessalonians 3:5
Friday, February 25, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Talk about being humbled...
So I just got back from visiting an orphanage that a coworkers family runs. It was an absolutely amazing and humbling experience. I think about the trials that I have gone through so far in my 23 years of life, and they are nothing compared to what any of the amazing people I met this weekend have gone through. I am thoroughly blown away by the amazing grace and love for God that these people have.
To start with, the orphanage has 44 orphans living in it, and another 20 that are living in the surrounding community. The orphanage cares for children of all ages. There are children there that have just been born and are fighting for their life, and there are children there that are in high school. It has become a home of life and love, and it is an incredible place. People from around the community help out during the day, but the majority of the time there are only two people running it. Florence and Boisen are the couple that manage the orphanage. They must be in their 70s, and they are the only two people that get up with the babies and all the children in the middle of the night. Talk about living a life for God and His children. I watched one baby last weekend, for two nights... I can't imagine being in charge of 44 all the time, 365 days of the year.
The couple (Frank and Eunice) that started the orphanage are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They have gone through so many trials and tribulations in their life. I would not blame them if they just gave up being positive and loving life. They have been dealt some serious losses, but have come out strong none the less. Frank seems to have a passion for helping people which surpasses any that I have ever seen. He is a man who loves God and His people... He not only had the dream to start up the orphanage, but he built up the area around it. He started a clinic, he helped put in schools, he built a nutritional rehabilitation unit, he built a church. He has done so much, and he just keeps on giving and doing. They are currently trying to build a new church, but the building of it has stalled because they don't have the funds to finish it. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the area and make it more accessible to help others.
This family has the biggest heart. They welcome you with open arms. The power was out last night when we arrived. They spent hours cooking for all six of us on a small grill so we would have a warm dinner. They have already given so much to this world, and they keep giving every day. They live a life of love. They live a life I strive to live. I wish I could open my heart to those around me as easily as this family does. They love everyone, no matter what.
My eyes have been completely opened this weekend. My heart broke for all the children that I saw, orphans or otherwise. When we were visiting the nutritional rehabilitation unit and I saw the babies that looked like they were six months and were really almost two years, I had to hold back tears. There is so much pain and suffering in Malawi, but the people never cease to amaze me. As we were walking through the wards of the hospital, the guardians of the patients were there called out to us and asked us to come join them in eating nsima (their dinner). They were at the hospital watching over their sick family members, and still they opened their hearts to us. How many of us would do that in the States? I would think not too many.
I challenge you in this- take a lesson from these people. Open your hearts to others. Love a stranger like you would your brother. Do something for others before you do something for yourself. Look past all the difficulties you have encountered in life, and see how you can use them to help others. Give to others. Give love, give time, give money. Use the gifts that God has given you to better those around you. Most of us have never experience half of the sadness and troubles that so many of the people in Malawi have experienced. Take a lesson from the people that have experienced so much and still have a heart to give all they have and more. Love those around you. If everyone gave half as much to those around them as the family I met this weekend, the world would be such a better place.
Feel called to help out this orphanage or hospital or church that they are trying to build?? Email me. danielle.niculescu@gmail.com
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" John 15-12
Danie
To start with, the orphanage has 44 orphans living in it, and another 20 that are living in the surrounding community. The orphanage cares for children of all ages. There are children there that have just been born and are fighting for their life, and there are children there that are in high school. It has become a home of life and love, and it is an incredible place. People from around the community help out during the day, but the majority of the time there are only two people running it. Florence and Boisen are the couple that manage the orphanage. They must be in their 70s, and they are the only two people that get up with the babies and all the children in the middle of the night. Talk about living a life for God and His children. I watched one baby last weekend, for two nights... I can't imagine being in charge of 44 all the time, 365 days of the year.
The couple (Frank and Eunice) that started the orphanage are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They have gone through so many trials and tribulations in their life. I would not blame them if they just gave up being positive and loving life. They have been dealt some serious losses, but have come out strong none the less. Frank seems to have a passion for helping people which surpasses any that I have ever seen. He is a man who loves God and His people... He not only had the dream to start up the orphanage, but he built up the area around it. He started a clinic, he helped put in schools, he built a nutritional rehabilitation unit, he built a church. He has done so much, and he just keeps on giving and doing. They are currently trying to build a new church, but the building of it has stalled because they don't have the funds to finish it. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the area and make it more accessible to help others.
This family has the biggest heart. They welcome you with open arms. The power was out last night when we arrived. They spent hours cooking for all six of us on a small grill so we would have a warm dinner. They have already given so much to this world, and they keep giving every day. They live a life of love. They live a life I strive to live. I wish I could open my heart to those around me as easily as this family does. They love everyone, no matter what.
My eyes have been completely opened this weekend. My heart broke for all the children that I saw, orphans or otherwise. When we were visiting the nutritional rehabilitation unit and I saw the babies that looked like they were six months and were really almost two years, I had to hold back tears. There is so much pain and suffering in Malawi, but the people never cease to amaze me. As we were walking through the wards of the hospital, the guardians of the patients were there called out to us and asked us to come join them in eating nsima (their dinner). They were at the hospital watching over their sick family members, and still they opened their hearts to us. How many of us would do that in the States? I would think not too many.
I challenge you in this- take a lesson from these people. Open your hearts to others. Love a stranger like you would your brother. Do something for others before you do something for yourself. Look past all the difficulties you have encountered in life, and see how you can use them to help others. Give to others. Give love, give time, give money. Use the gifts that God has given you to better those around you. Most of us have never experience half of the sadness and troubles that so many of the people in Malawi have experienced. Take a lesson from the people that have experienced so much and still have a heart to give all they have and more. Love those around you. If everyone gave half as much to those around them as the family I met this weekend, the world would be such a better place.
Feel called to help out this orphanage or hospital or church that they are trying to build?? Email me. danielle.niculescu@gmail.com
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" John 15-12
Danie
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