The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life… Psalm 23:1-3.
We accepted an invitation recently to go to the beach with some dear family friends of ours. Although ecstatic about the invite, I knew it would require some pre-vacation hustle on my end in order to get everything packed and prepared for our time away. I have a tendency to border line stress myself out when preparing for a STRESS FREE vacation. Can anyone else relate?! I can only guess that God looks down on me sometimes quite amused by my running in circles. How I wish I would remain calm and steadfast more often during the seemingly hurried spaces in life.
In order for us to be renewed, we must learn to be still. In a high speed world this can mean turning the noise off, putting the phones down, and listening to the gentle whisper of God. You’ll be surprised how much clearer you’ll hear God’s voice when you do. Needless to say, my time away at the beach was exactly what I needed to quiet my world and refresh my soul. The beautiful thing about God is He’s always near and ever willing to lighten our load if we’ll just slow down long enough to spend adequate time with Him. God longs to renew you daily. Will you allow him to?
I’ll never forget when Celienne first came to the Coreluv Myan Children’s Village in Haiti. Before joining the Coreluv family, Celienne was in desperate need of a renewed life. She was a frightened little girl who was often left alone for hours on end. Our prayer for Celienne was that God’s love would heal her from the inside out. Aren’t you glad that God is in the business of mending hearts and healing souls?! Fast forward almost 4 years later and today, Celienne is a much different little girl. Through the love of Jesus Christ, her life has truly been made NEW! Today, her needs are met and Celienne radiates a smile that reflects the beauty of her heavenly Father. What a GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD!!!
Defending the orphan goes beyond one day, one week, one month, even beyond one year. It is a daily call to care for and pray for the children we have been entrusted with. We could NOT do what we do without each and every one of our partners. It takes all of us together to make a difference in the lives of these children, daily providing their six basic needs of clean water, proper food, healthcare, education, job skills and a Christ-centered loving home. If you are not already an Orphan Care Partner, you can become one today by visiting our Orphan Care Partnership Program page.
Defend the Orphan,
Mike & Mandy Reiszner