renewed inspiration

I've always been inspired by people's stories....especially those of humble beginnings who went on to do great and life changing things with nothing but their simple faith and obedience in God. Missionaries stories have always touched my heart..maybe because something inside me hopes that one day people might talk of my life with that same inspiration.

I wasn't expecting to be challenged at church yesterday...as horrible as that may be.  God had other plans though..like He always does. Marilee Dunker, the daughter of Bob Pierce who founded World Vision spoke. What an amazing story she told of her father going to China as a young man and God impressing upon his heart the great need for both spiritual and physical aid to those living in poverty and hopelessness.  Marilee said that her father's prayer as he started out was simply this:

May my heart break with what breaks yours Lord.

Wow. Not an easy prayer. Can you imagine! This world....so full of suffering, cruelty, injustice, poverty and hopelessness. I don't think my pitiful human heart could withstand the burden...the million pieces of brokeness...the overwhelming heartache that God has for the people of this world.

As daunting and overwhelming a challenge it may be though...that's what I desire. Only then will I be able to love God's people the way they were meant to be loved. Only then will I be living not for myself and what I may gain in this world...but for others. That others may know the joy and hope that floods my soul and gives me reason to live. 

God is passionately in love with every single person in this world. Every single person in Cambodia.  I am surrounded by them everyday. The storekeepers, the moto drivers, the women living on the streets with their babies, the guy that works at the internet cafe, the girls that sell us fruit. He loves them all!! My heart bursts with "God loves you! Preah Ang sro lyung neyek!" That simply phase has more potential for giving life than anything else. 

We make life complicated..full of excuses..centered around ourselves.....what we are going to do or who we are going to marry. Where we are going to live...if only we'd stop and for once realize that maybe just maybe....life isn't about all that at all. Have you ever truly considerd that there just might be more to existence that our perfect, cozy, wealthy  little lives back home?

Yesterday I re-focused. My purpose was made clear. I was inspired.