A Letter from Florianlyn

With yesterday's mail came a gift... a letter from Florianlyn... not just any letter, but a particularly heart-warming one!

Bago po sa lahat lubos parin po ang aming pasasalamat sa Panginoon na patuloy parin nya kaming ginagabayan sa araw-araw lalong-lalo na po pagdating sa paghahanap buhay. Sa ngayon dagdag hanap-buhay po ang inaasikaso ni Mama sa pamamagitan po ng pagtitinda ng kakanin. Ako po ngayon ay nagtitinda sa school canteen namin salamat parin sa blessing na binigay ng Panginoon. Aasanan po ninyo na patuloy namin nalagaan ang binigay ninyong negosyo sa amin.

First of all, we are deeply thankful to God for His continuing daily guidance especially in the area of our livelihood. Right now, an added livelihood for our family is the selling of snacks in my school canteen. We are thankful for this blessing from God. Please be assured that we will continue to take care of the means of livelihood that you have given to us.

Wow! I couldn't help but shed tears of joy upon reading those precious words!

You see... upon coming home from our Missions Immersion trip to the Philippines last year, where we met sweet Florianlyn and her family... we sent them a family gift... to help them finish building their house and also for them to start-up a small convenience store.

As far as I can read in yesterday's letter, that money has successfully provided them with a livelihood {in just six short months}... they now have an added livelihood, aside from the convenience store... selling snacks at the school canteen!

This news comes on the heels of a rough couple of months... our family has received several criticisms in the form of "well-intentioned advice" saying that we are... "unwisely spending our money on the poor who will just squander our gift." I guess this quote by Jen Hatmaker, from her book Interrupted, is slowly but surely becoming true for our family:

I want... to be great because we fed hungry mommas and their babies. I'd like to be great because we battled poverty with not just our money but our hands and hearts. I desire the greatness that comes from not just seeking mercy but justice for those caught in a system with trapdoors. I hope to be part of a great movement of the Holy Spirit, who injects supernatural wind and fire into His mission. My version of great will come when others are scratching their heads and saying, "Wow, you live a really different life." {Emphasis mine.}

I guess what we've been encountering aren't criticisms after all, but compliments! :-)

I am currently reading the book The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns. I am currently on Chapter 19: Two Percent of Two Percent.

Jesus understood that our relationship to our money and possessions is an indication of our spiritual condition: "For where your treasure is," He said, "there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).

... the greatest defuser that we as Christians have at our disposal is the opportunity to take that which seeks to dominate us and simply give it away. You cannot serve the living God and be a hoarder of his resources. Giving, both how we give and how much we give, is the clearest outward expression of who our God really is (R. Scott Rodin, Stewards in the Kingdom).

The world would see the whole gospel - the good news of the kingdom of God - not just spoken but demonstrated, by people whose faith is not devoid of deeds but defined by love and backed up with action.

Therefore, as Christ-followers and citizens of heaven, where should we invest our money? I think the answer is pretty clear to me. :-)

But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven!
~ Philippians 3:20, The Message.

If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.
~ Matthew 10:39, The Message.

Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
~ Matthew 5:13, The Message.

My friends, I believe, this is how we should live here when our home is in heaven...

Christian hands never clasp and He doesn't give gifts for gain because a gift can never stop being a gift - a gift is always meant to be given...

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

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I promise you will be blessed! Today, we are writing about The Practice of Citizenship: How You Live Here When Your Home is in Heaven.

Unwrapping more of His love in this world.

Act justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with God!