The Ultimate Challenge

What a week! So much is going on in our world. There is social injustice, unrest in the Middle East, sickness, disease, depression, and the list goes on and on. It is heart wrenching to see so many people hurting. For the past year at every church conference I have attended, the theme has been "“We Are Called to Minister and Witness to A Deeply Distressed and Troubled World” Let that soak in for a minute...

Our world is distressed, not just distressed but DEEPLY distressed and TROUBLED. Think about the past week and the events that have occurred. It is troubling and it almost leaves me feeling helpless. However, the first part of that theme says, "We are called to minister and witness"... That part means that WE, meaning you, me, they, us, he, she or whoever you are have been challenged to do a job. Honestly, it doesn't mean that you take a bucket of ice and pour it on yourself then donate to a charity but it means that you actually get out and HELP with our world. It is easier said than done.

 How do you help people that are going through so much? How do you know that you are equipped to minister and witness? Those are all questions that I asked myself. Where do you begin? I came up with these 5 things:

1. Prayer

2. A willing and earnest heart.

3. Trying your hardest to live your life the best way you can.

4. Love and Compassion for everyone.

5. If you fail at any of the first 4 things, ask for forgiveness and start over again.

I am beginning to understand that the problems in our world are not anything new. These problems are just history repeating itself. The problem is that we take a backseat to the problems and just let it happen. We have power in each of us but the power has to be used.

My heart is heavy daily. Not only for what is happening in the rest of the world, but what is happening to people that I know. Over the past few months, there have been at least 5 people that have gone through major illnesses. From needing organ transplants to life altering accidents to sudden illness to losing their homes to fires. It's overwhelming because I want to help EVERYONE but how can I help everyone else that is hurting  when I have my own financial responsibilities?

 This is life, we all struggle at some point but the thing that I have learned is that sometimes it isn't about reaching out with a financial donation but it may be reaching out with encouraging words, small tokens of love or just being there. I feel like I have failed the challenge because many opportunities have presented themselves for me to be there for others who are fighting obstacles in life. I have always been taught that Charity Begins At Home. Meaning, you take care of those closest to you then branch out to others in need. Today I declare that I will do my best to not only talk about making a difference but BE about making a difference. It is one thing to not accept an ice bucket challenge on Facebook but it is another thing not to accept what WE have been called to do. I take this challenge to heart.“We Are Called to Minister and Witness to A Deeply Distressed and Troubled World” ...