Kisses From Katie

I have been reading a new book recently that God is using to work on my heart. Can I take a moment to recommend Kisses From Katie to you? This is a story of a phenomenal young woman who has one goal in life - to love.

It is beautifully written and will move you to tears should you spend some time in its pages.

Katie Davis also has a blog that she uses to share her life.

There have been so many things to strike me in this book, but today I am thinking mostly of theme of caring for orphans...

Adoption has long been on the heart of Tim and I. We have felt open to welcoming a child into our family from any avenue, should God decide it is right. There are tremendous costs that accompany such a venture, costs that prohibit us from moving forward right now, but if God wants for this to happen to the Thompson's, we surely believe that it will.

Katie Davis has adopted 14 young orphans. Katie Davis is 22 - raising 14 children. I am 30, raising 2 children and find myself feeling overwhelmed at times.

1 young woman, 14 children. That is love. That is answering a call to care for the orphans in our world.

Katie writes:

The truth is that 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death of die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children. And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians. The truth is that only 8 percent of the Christians would care for one more child, there would be no more statistics.

This passage stopped me in my tracks. Literally took my breath away.

I felt God calling me to respond and was eager to see what direction that would take.

I spent some time learning about Katie's NGO, Amazima.

God is doing incredibly things in the lives of the children of Uganda through Amazima. On the website, there are 7 ways listed to help. Number 1 on the list is to sponsor a child. I knew God had led me to this opportunity...

For $300 a year, you can provide education, supplies, food, clothing and spiritual discipleship to a child in need. I approached my husband and he was supportive (praise God for the heart of that man!), though realistic. We are certainly not in an ideal financial situation ourselves. BUT, when you divide $300 by 12, you get $25.

$25 a month to change a child's future.

Think about that.... I spend $70 a month on a gym membership we barely use.

I just bought four cases of Pepsi for $11.

A drink at Starbuck's cost $4.

Going to see a movie (even if you sneak in your own snacks) will cost more than $25.

It was a call for us to analyze our spending. A call for us to think about what is truly important. A call to us to be open to answering God's command that we care for the orphans among us. A call for us to open our family up to love and care for a child on the other side of this world.

I encourage you to spend some time in Katie's world. It is a beautiful picture of God's love.