Apply your life.

       I sit in my class and admire the new Vera Bradley bag the girl in front of me has. Walking to my next class I notice that girls awesome hot pink Nikes that look like they just came off the shelf. Eventually when I get home I look in the fridge and cabinets and complain because I want more than the options that I have in my cupboard. I moan and grumble because there is "nothing to eat" (how many times a day do we come home, look in our fridge and say this?) I get excited over new iPhone updates, and going shopping to buy my new printer.
But a question for you is... How much did you spend on your coffee or energy drink this morning? The shoes on your feet, how expensive were they? You grabbed lunch today at the local Chick-fil-A, and you easily paid with that $10 bill in your pocket. You went home, filled up your water bottle full of cool, clean, pure water.
        There is a little girl in the Dominican Republic who can't afford to go to school. There is an old woman in Guatemala who doesn't have legs. She wears oven mits on her hands and pulls herself around the dirty streets. In Africa they eat diseased monkey because that's all that they can afford/catch. 40% of the world lives on less than $2.15 a day. 1.82 million people live on less than $1.25 a day. That is extreme poverty. We have so much, but choose to keep it all to ourselves.

         Being that I am a senior in college, I've been asked a lot these past few weeks what my major is. Of course I answer with, "I'm majoring in Sociology and minoring in social work." Therefore people automatically think I want to be a social worker. That's not the case at all. People then go on to ask me what I want to do after graduation, either go on to get my masters, or go right into finding a job. I say neither. My hearts desire is to use my talents that God has given me, in Guatemala.

          As most of you know I have been to Guatemala twice, and each time I was there, I fell more and more in love with the people and the culture. The first time I was there (2008), we went to an orphanage and did a service and activities for the children. On the one wall there was the scripture, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace. Who bring tidings of good things." (This is a story that I've only told a few people because it truly means a lot to me. But if it means a lot to me, and made a huge impact in my life, why not tell others?) This past year I started going to bible study at my college, and we happened to be reading through the book of Romans. During this time things were getting down to the point where I had to start deciding what to do with my life. As we sat there in bible studying reading verse by verse, we came across Romans 10:15. And this verse really stuck out to me. As it read, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" I thought to myself, wow!!! God works in crazy ways. Right here, in the simplest way, God's saying "HEY AMANDA, You know your heart is in Guatemala. You know you can use your talents over there. HELLO- this is a sign! Open your eyes!" and I did. It was right there in front of me in my bible, telling me that my calling, which for now, is in an orphanage, in Guatemala.

Girls orphanage in Guatemala 2010

         These children have nothing. Yet they are happy. We have everything. Yet are not satisfied. How does that measure up? I am willing to give much more than my money to others. I am willing to give of myself. I am planning on going to Guatemala for (hopefully) a year after I graduate (on May 12th 2012 may I add!) college, and work/live/stay at a girls orphanage and use my God given talents to be an authority figure, a friend, and a mom to these girls when they need one. I want to give myself to these people who don't have anything. On the side I want to do ministry. Meet people and children from the village. Give them something worth so much more than money. Life itself. I still need to get details worked out, but rest assured, I hope I will.

What I want to ask you is, what are you doing with your life? Are you making a difference? There is not just a need for help in other countries. There is a need right here in America. Washington D.C. , Philadelphia, Camden, Reading, just to name a few around the area. My church goes to DC every Christmastime to feed the homeless and do services. It is by far one of my favorite parts of my year. Being able to put a smile on someones face is as simple as a hug to someone who hasn't had someone embrace them in years. As simple as handing a sandwich out, to someone who has nothing to eat for dinner.


Making a difference in someones life isn't rocket science. But it's all up to you.

The talents that God gave you, are you going to keep them and use them for yourself, or are you going to go out there, and show people what an amazing God we serve by applying yourself and sharing what you have?