For the last three years we have learnt to live WITHOUT..
Without guarantee of water or power when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night - knowing we have food in the fridge that is likely to go off and dust laden children and clothes that need a wash.
Without privacy or space at home or on the road as people manned our gates, cleaned our house, came to visit.
Without our favourite foods and convenient supermarkets in which to purchase them on a frequent basis. We learnt to do with substitutes.
We have learnt to live without family get togethers and seeing babies born.
Without sending invitation texts to sisters and brothers for our next Child's birthday party.
Without earned income and payslips following suit
Without eftpos payments at any store
Without our own personal car to drive around in
Without the convenience of being able to speak English at important times of communication
Without a consistent education level for our kids
For periods of time we have lived even without our eldest child and less importantly without hot water in the house, furniture, water coming through our taps, access to calls overseas, internet access for days on end...
Yet we have also learned to live without other things too...
We have lived without mortgage payments and overdue rates letters
Without petrol expenses and the knowledge of how much it costs
Without a boss who keeps our hours and keeps us from our kids
We have lived without the question of "what if I die and I never lived out my dream?"
We lived without the fear of being held accountable for not doing what we have always known we should do
We lived without questioning if God could use us in Ethiopia
We lived without a boring day.
We lived without doubt that God would provide our every need
And without limiting what He is able to do
We learnt to live without an excuse for not doing anything, not helping anyone, not making our life count.
We lived without the materialistic lifestyle that used to keep us bound.
We lived without attachment to the things of this world that didn't really matter
We learned most of all what we could not live without...
We cannot live without the Love of God.
AND His Love poured out into us and overflowing into others. Now THAT we can not live without.
All the other things we can live without. All the other things have taught us a valuable lesson
That a life lived in His love is a life that demands sacrifice but that sacrifice does not go unseen
What are you learning to live without?
"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Cor 13:1-3
Without guarantee of water or power when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night - knowing we have food in the fridge that is likely to go off and dust laden children and clothes that need a wash.
Without privacy or space at home or on the road as people manned our gates, cleaned our house, came to visit.
Without our favourite foods and convenient supermarkets in which to purchase them on a frequent basis. We learnt to do with substitutes.
We have learnt to live without family get togethers and seeing babies born.
Without sending invitation texts to sisters and brothers for our next Child's birthday party.
Without earned income and payslips following suit
Without eftpos payments at any store
Without our own personal car to drive around in
Without the convenience of being able to speak English at important times of communication
Without a consistent education level for our kids
For periods of time we have lived even without our eldest child and less importantly without hot water in the house, furniture, water coming through our taps, access to calls overseas, internet access for days on end...
Yet we have also learned to live without other things too...
We have lived without mortgage payments and overdue rates letters
Without petrol expenses and the knowledge of how much it costs
Without a boss who keeps our hours and keeps us from our kids
We have lived without the question of "what if I die and I never lived out my dream?"
We lived without the fear of being held accountable for not doing what we have always known we should do
We lived without questioning if God could use us in Ethiopia
We lived without a boring day.
We lived without doubt that God would provide our every need
And without limiting what He is able to do
We learnt to live without an excuse for not doing anything, not helping anyone, not making our life count.
We lived without the materialistic lifestyle that used to keep us bound.
We lived without attachment to the things of this world that didn't really matter
We learned most of all what we could not live without...
We cannot live without the Love of God.
AND His Love poured out into us and overflowing into others. Now THAT we can not live without.
All the other things we can live without. All the other things have taught us a valuable lesson
That a life lived in His love is a life that demands sacrifice but that sacrifice does not go unseen
What are you learning to live without?
"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Cor 13:1-3
