Leprosy

Another thing I have grown up hearing about in Bible stories that I have never taken the time consider really real, or ever tried to look in the face and feel compassion for. Theres a lot of realities that I need to take a good, long look at...and swallow.

And as much as this breaks my heart, these are just photos. Can you imagine taking the time to meet the real souls in these photos? This is a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, a daughter, a son, a cousin, a niece, a nephew, an aunt, an uncle, a grandma, a grandpa, a best friend. This is my Anita, Mike, Shawn, Jen, Steph, Penny, Kelsey, Katie, Hanna, Steph, Hilary, Betty, Rosemary, Josiah, Taylor, Jasmine, Junie, Mickey, Nikki, Kirstianna, Steph, ...etc.

Really though. REALLY.

This is bigger than leprosy though. There are hurting, dying, decaying, lost people everywhere. I want to be their advocate, their voice, their hug, their friend, their love, their strength, and their smile through the love that Jesus Christ has put in my heart. I want them to know my Lord and be comforted by His unconditional love, by His forgiveness, by His compassion, by His healing, by His presence. I want to stand up to the people oppressing them, even if it costs me everything.

Why are we so selfish though? Why am I so selfish? The world needs. They need love, they need food, they need change, they need a bed to sleep in, they need stability, they need healing, they need cleansing of their souls, they need someone to listen, they need joy. Everywhere. Los Angeles needs it like Kolkata needs it like Rwanda needs it like Paris needs it like Oak View and Ventura need it like Bangkok needs it like Buenos Aires needs it, like my own family needs it, like I need it like You need it.

Whats is wrong with us? We just walk around with our heads in our butts thinking about when we can get coffee, or just get some time to relax, or how much we hate how much homework we have. There is so much more going on in the world around us! We rarely look outside of our own lives. We have so much to give. I have so much to give. More than anything I have Jesus Christ. He didn't come to condemn us or to give us a hope of one day living in a fancy place called heaven. He came to set us free from the sin that is literally killing us. He came to offer freedom now. To offer a hand, to walk with us every step of the way. To replace our agony with joy. Not to give us a cool club called church to hang out at, and not to make our lives perfect and easy. He came to slay death. The First Part of that is already done.

It's funny, we make this such a pretty and majestic thing. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was anything but majestic. It was exactly what crucifixion was intended to be. Humiliating prologued torture.


However, death is incapable. Jesus Christ CANNOT be contained by death. He conquered death! He defied the authority of death. Who else in history had power over death? and THAT is why I put my hope in Jesus Christ, because He is the only thing worth putting any hope in. Everything else is dying and decaying. Everything else is leprosy.

So what? How does that change our lives?

Like I said, that is only first part. In this current age, those who give their lives to follow Jesus are His hands and feet. We must bring that love and bring that truth that conquers death. Sure, we live in a decaying world now because of Sin, but we are alive in Christ! We have victory and joy HERE and NOW "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians). We have victory over death through Him, and when we die here, we enter an age in which death is not even known.

I want to spread that truth, I want to demonstrate that love, and I want to spend my whole life doing nothing but that. I want to meet people where they are. In jail, in poverty, in wealth, in happiness, in suffering, in evil, in morals, in prostitution, in the church, in their homes.

I want to learn how to live that out in daily life. I really am trying to figure it out. I want everyone I meet to see the power and love of the God that makes the earth spin and float. I want the same for the church. The church has strayed so far from the goal. By the grace of God I am finally realizing what the goal really is. My eyes are being opened to the truth. Not the cultural truth. Not the church cultures truth. The ONLY truth. The truth of the Word of God. You want to see power? You want to see authority? You want to see patience? You want to see change? You want to see real people dealing with all of the exact issues we battle every single day? Open up the Bible. Allow Gods words to come alive like they are meant to. They are living and active.

How do I help though? That is an honest question that I really don't know the answer to. I want to boldly and fearlessly make a difference in this world. Whether in Ventura Ca, or Korea Wherever. All I know is that there are people hurting, and I want to come along side them. Whether that looks like smiling at someone, listening to them, buying them a cup of coffee, giving them my last sweatshirt, or gently washing their leprous feet.

I want to live out what I signed up for. I don't want to waste another day of my life living "successfully" or "normally" in the worlds eyes. I want to be the hands of Jesus and bring light and joy to a dark and sad world.

Lord help me to live out what I was created to do. I know that I can't do it without your strength and guidance. Humble me and continue to shape and grow me.


....if anyone reads this, let me know how I can be a better friend, sister, daughter, or cousin to you. Let me know how I can love you better, and join me in trying to make some changes in this world. I don't care if you love Jesus, hate Jesus, or have never heard of Him. Lets work together and make some changes.

I can't just sit back and take another day of all the hate and sorrow.