Real Love

        I have never been more sure that we as a family are exactly where God wants us. It was so hard to leave our friends and family behind to move to Auburn to start our new life here. Over the past 2 years of living in Auburn nothing has been more clear to me than the fact that God has us here for a reason. I thought we were moving here just for Jacob, and that's really what it started off as. The Auburn school system and the Auburn/Opelika community has so much to offer families with special needs kids. However, I never realized how much we would be blessed as a family to live here as well. 
        We have met some pretty amazing people. People who are actually living out God's command to go unto all the world. These people aren't necessarily going into another country but they are ministering to people that most of us don't think twice about. What I love about these people is they aren't perfect, they aren't trying to make themselves look good and they aren't looking for rewards or pats on the back. These people genuinely care and love people. They are real, real about themselves, real about the Word and real about the problems in this world. They aren't concerned with church rules or legalism. They are concerned with the hearts of the hurting. They are people who are ministering to foster kids who have been abused in ways unimaginable. They are people who are so desperately trying to stop human trafficking. I've never had the opportunity to be around people that so selflessly give their time, efforts and love into something so beautiful. It made me realize that this is what it means to love people. It's easy to love people who are like us and who aren't "damaged."  The best thing about these people though is that they don't try to act righteous or like they have it all in place. They're real people with real struggles who share a common bond...Love!
        I've sat in the pew with many people in my lifetime who think they're awesome because they came to church. Heck, I've been one of those people. Hypocrites! Jesus spent more time with outcasts, lepers, disabled, prostitutes, adulteresses, broken, hurt, "damaged" people than he did with religious people, church people and "good" people. 
       Our pastor preached an amazing sermon yesterday. The best thing he said was this "If you study the Bible you will see that the only time Jesus got mad was when he was dealing with hypocrites in the church. He never was angry or upset with sinners. He spent time with prostitutes, adulteresses, lepers and outcast but the only time he got angry was at hypocrites." Wow, what a perspective!!

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love,

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries

and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains,

but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,

but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

    1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

My prayer over the next couple of weeks/months/years is that God continue to give me a passion for families of special needs children. I so desire to be used by Him!