one

Yesterday, I made this little jar to sit on our kitchen counter.

And cut strips of paper (one color for each family member).

So that everyday throughout Lent, we can each write down our offering to Jesus. Something that we did that day to reach someone. To serve someone. To shine His light in the world.

My hope is that as a family, we’ll begin to be more intentional in our actions. To live the life we were called to live. To give ourselves. To share Christ’s love.

You see, I just finished reading Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. To be honest, when I first opened the cover, I let out a sigh, almost afraid to begin. I was afraid that instead of feeling inspired, it would leave me feel so inadequate. Giving up everything to live in extreme poverty? Become the single mother of 14 children? Arranging sponsorship for hundreds more? Caring for the malnourished, neglected, and disease-ridden? How can my life even compare with that?

By starting with ONE.

I didn’t have to make it past the book’s foreword, written by Beth Clark, to know that I had nothing to fear. No reason to feel inadequate…unless I CHOSE to do nothing. For right from the start, Beth reminds us that “People who make a difference in the world…hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren’t determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they’re satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world.”

And within the pages of the book, even after all that she’s done, Kaite shares her own frustrations about not being able to help everyone. She says, “I see thousands of deep brown eyes and feel thousands of little brown hands and I know that even on the hardest day, stopping is worth it. A life changed is worth it, even if only one. I will not save them all. But I will keep trying. I will say “Yes”. I will stop for one.”

I am captivated by the beautiful story that Katie continues to write today. And am excited to see where God will take us as life reveals our family’s story. One person, one small act, at a time.