Out of the Overflow of My Heart...

It is hard to believe it has already been one week since I arrived. It has been full days filled with contagious joy, sweet prayers and of course anything and everything that you would expect from a house full of siblings—CRAZINESS!!

The Lord has repeatedly shown up in the midst of it all to either teach me something about Him or to refine something within me. It’s a beautiful thing. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to pause and reflect on all that the Lord is, all that He has done in my life and truly lavish in His love. He is so good. And these children, aunties and uncles are evidence of this in the flesh. They sing a song that talks about yearning for the Lord so much that it hurts. What does that look like? Do I yearn for the Lord so much that it hurts? It is a sweet thing; A beautiful picture of utter dependence.

I have begun the education evaluations this past week that we intend on doing on all of the children in the next few weeks. This is going to help us see where they currently are, and then allow us to evaluate their progress throughout the remainder of the year. It’s been exciting to watch the kids already improve from the last time that I was here. They are each getting smarter and smarter with every day that passes and it makes me hit my knees with thankfulness at the thought that there are so many families on the other side of the world who make sacrifices to sponsor these children every month. Be it through education, nutrition, health or housing, it takes every aspect to make a child whole. With every outfit I see these children run around in, with every doll I see the girls braid the hair on, and at every meal that we take throughout the day—I am yet again reminded that without the generosity of so many, life here would look very different. And then in the same breath, I am humbled at the moms, dads, aunties and uncles over here. They love each one of these children well. They do whatever it takes to make sure they are fed, well rested and growing like weeds! Family is valued here and I am blessed to play a part in this big family.

I pinch myself every morning I roll out of the bed from under that mosquito net at the thought that today I am getting to do life in Uganda at this time in my life. I am treasuring each day. With every piece of clothing that is laid out to dry, with every shirt that is folded, with every dish that is washed, I pray that I am serving well and loving well. I pray that in the stillness, I am being filled, and in being filled, I pray that loving and serving is done out of the overflow of my heart.