A Letter To God

Dear God,

  Where do I even begin? I could sit here and write you pages and pages about how lucky I am to have so many things when so many more people in the world have no idea what those "things" even are. I think I should really begin by thanking you for even giving me... or wait for choosing me to have those things. Why me? Was there something you saw me? Did you know sooner or later all those things would soon change my mind on how I felt about them and how I felt about this life?
  
   Well changed happened, it may have taken awhile by being caught up in this world of stuff. You never gave up on me. You saw it happening before it even crossed my mind. Once I got on board with you, it was like we were a team. You had my back, I just had to trust you.
 
     I remember one of the first changes you had lined up for me. It's the one I'll never forget. The one that ripped my heart opened. It was November 2010, I was at a Mercy Me concert, worshipping your Holy Name. It was like nothing I ever experienced before. The band took a break to share with the guests about a sponsoring program called Compassion. As they were speaking, my heart was thumping.HARD! I knew I wasn't going home the same person. I tried to talk myself out of it, I had seen those commercials about sponsoring children and then heard from other people how they don't really use your money to help them. But the time came when you either raised your hand to accept a picture or you didn't. I don't even think I had time to think, my hand just flew up. All I could think was if it's a girl, it's meant to be. You see I was longing for another girl, I needed another girl in the family. Katya and I were being out numbered by boys. It's not exactly the way I had pictured by adding a family member. But there I sit...waiting...watching... this picture being passed down to me. I get in my hands turn it over and there right infront of me is a picture of a beautiful, precious little girl from India. Tears stream down my face. She is now mine to help take care. Some people may be thinking that she has been blessed. But for me I feel like the one who has been blessed. God, you already knew I had three children at home to care for, but you CHOSE me to help sponsor this little girl. Not only will I be helping meet her needs but I'll also be able to help her family. Because you CHOSE me, this little girl gets to go to school. She gets to know YOU. Sponsoring Manisha is one gift that I can't thank you enough for.
     
     The excitement I feel when I check the mail each day. Will there be a letter today? When there is a letter, I throw everything else down, it can wait. I want to know how she is doing. I smile as I see her trying to spell my name in English. Her letters bring me far more excitement than all this stuff I have. God because of this sponsorship, she praises YOU. She loves YOU. Her life is being changed. There is a difference being made.

      I am so thankful you have chosen Compassion to be a part of our lives. You have allowed our family to meet the needs of two other children through Compassion. It's not only for me, but for Chris and Ethan and someday Cohen and Katya.

     You are not only sharing this gift with my family, but with other people around the world. Sponsoring may seem like such a small thing to some people but the change they are making is HUGE.

     God, I pray you continue to share this gift with others, so they too can share their gifts.


                                                         Jo-Anne



Visit Compassion: http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm