It looks like she's your daughter

A few months ago, Compassion launched their new online letter writing tool. Previously, you were able to write "emails" to your sponsored children, which would be sent directly to the country office, thus cutting down on the transit time between letters. While this was convenient, it was also very basic, so I hardly ever used it.

With the new online writing tool, which can be accessed through your account on the Compassion (US) website, you can choose from a number of fun, beautiful templates! You can also add up to three digital pictures to your letter, which is such an exciting feature. Plus, for sponsors with multiple children, you have the option to duplicate the letter, so I can write all 21 of our children in about an hour. It's amazing!

In October, I received a letter from our sweet Mary Jane in the Philippines, who has always had a special place in my heart. Her situation was already fragile, as her father is in prison. In this particular letter, I learned that her mother had run away, leaving Mary Jane and her siblings in the care of her uncle (I have since learned that her mother has returned - praise God!). This news was so major, though, that I wanted to respond as quickly and effectively as possible. So I used the website's new letter writing tool.

This feature is so easy to use, but still results in a personalized, beautiful letter for your child. I wanted to show Mary Jane that we love her and support her, and that despite the unstable family situation, we love her like family, too. So I decided to upload a digital copy of Mary Jane's photo and included it in the letter. (Did you know that Compassion US can email you the 2 most recent photos of your sponsored child? If you haven't done so, I would definitely recommend that you request them!)


Little did I realize how special this would be for Mary Jane.

I tell you all this to set up the beautiful response letter we received today from the Philippines. This is the opening paragraph, which almost had me in tears.

"We received the letter that you've sent. Mary Jane was very happy because she saw her picture together with you. She is very happy because it looks like she's your daughter. Thank you for the love that you've shared to Mary Jane. You gave us a great happiness."

Wow. To be honest, I can't stop reading it. There is so much hope and trust in that statement. She also drew a picture of the three of us together, with "I love you" printed beside it in her precious (pink!) handwriting. We love our little girl so much.

I am about to write to our other sponsored children, so that I can include their pictures in this same way. It does seem to diminish the distance between us, doesn't it? We are literally across the globe from Mary Jane, but these pictures make us seem so near to one another. It almost makes my heart ache a bit, just looking at it.

Please feel free to use this idea if you want. Why not write your sponsored child right now? It is so easy and only takes a few minutes, but it means so much.

The greatest of these

Oh, February. When this time of the year rolls around, I always find myself cringing a bit. February is synonymous with heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, bouquets of flowers, and an overabundance of the color pink, none of which I've ever had much of an affinity for. (Chocolate is great, but skip the big box and give me the good stuff!)

In elementary school, Valentine's Day was a fun way to get free candy, but that was a double-edged sword, as it also resulted in a lecture. ("Don't forget to brush!" "Don't forget to floss!" Yeah, my mom is a dental hygienist.) Once I got to middle school, Valentine's Day was just an excuse to make us girls cry when we failed to receive a carnation in our respective locker (true story). In high school, I was old enough to go on a real date, so the focus was on looking the part and playing it just right. In college...especially at a Christian college, Valentine's Day was the point in the year where I really felt the pressure to lock in that "ring by spring."

The nonconformist in me has always reasoned that every day of the year should be focused on love, not just one day. While this is still definitely true, I think many of us use that as a defense mechanism. We don't want to hope on Valentine's Day because we don't want to be disappointed on Valentine's Day.

When did our idea of love become so limited? Why do we fixate on feelings of romance when there is so much more to love than flowers and kisses?

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
-1 Corinthians 13:13

God is love, and we are called to love like God loves every day of the year, every day of our lives...including Valentine's Day.

When you clear away all the clutter of life, most of us find that we are left with, well...people. These people are the same ones God loves with an overwhelming, all-consuming, deeply personal love. These are the same people He has created with a masterful hand. These are the same people He weeps for, cares for, listens to, and comforts. These are the same people He sent His own Son to die for! Now that is love!

So if the core of just about everything in my life revolves around people, why shouldn't I take advantage of Valentine's Day to celebrate that? Why shouldn't I remind them that they are loved?

Take my husband, for example. My husband is my friend and my partner. We are in our second year of marriage, and every "second" occasion we experience is even better than it was the first time around. His support, especially through times of crisis, has been crucial. He is kind enough to give me space and independence, but is always there to welcome me when I come home. We have so much fun together, and he knows me better than just about anyone. God is building him up into a true man of Christ. My husband, yes...he is loved.

My mother is one of the most caring people you could ever hope to meet, and God has been hard at work in her life this past year. I've been able to watch her faith grow stronger as she leans on the Lord for her daily strength, and she has grown her own family of Compassion children who are so blessed to have her. She loves with reckless abandon, and she serves wherever and whenever she can. She has taught me so much (yes, beyond oral hygiene!). She has taught me the real meaning of sacrifice. My mother, yes...she is loved.

I nanny for a family with two wonderful children. I've had the privilege of working with them just about every day for the last year and a half, and I've gotten to watch them grow. Every day, I get to live out my faith before their eyes. Every day, as I tuck them into bed for that all-too-precious naptime, I get to kiss their cheeks and remind them that Jesus loves them. What a gift! These children, yes...they are loved.

I have two beautiful nieces who are full of spirit and life! The oldest is almost halfway through high school, and she is such a social butterfly. It is amazing to see the ways in which God has been shaping her for a lifetime of service to Him. Her beautiful heart belongs to the Lord. The younger of the two, though quieter, is full of energy and laughter. She and I definitely share a competitive edge. She has so much potential and is almost frighteningly intelligent. My family, yes...they are loved.

In the time since my father died, God has used one special friendship to remind me that He can bring beauty from the ashes. This friendship is tangible evidence of His faithfulness and mercy, and that makes it all the more precious to me. This friend is present in a way I have never experienced before. She is level-headed and balanced. She listens and she shares. She is talented and true and faithful, and she loves her family with such intensity! My friend, yes...she is loved.

This year, the Lord has challenged me to learn how to love His way, rather than the way that would come most naturally to me. His way is unconditional, humble, patient, and selfless. His way takes risk. My way...well, let's just say it's never been quite like that. Though I certainly haven't mastered it yet, learning to love the way God calls me to love has opened my heart beyond what I could ever express. It has filled me with the Spirit and changed the way I see everything in this world! When we allow Christ's love to fill our own hearts, that love can do nothing but overflow into others.

There is a Savior who loves you more than anyone ever has, more than anyone ever could, and more than anyone ever will. His love is constant, and His love is consuming. May you be assured of that love...of your own uniqueness and worth...both today and every day. You, yes...you are loved.