Issue #1,153 August 14, 2004 Fransie Dancing
Fransie is a thirteen year old boy with AIDS. He lives at the home for children
with HIV/AIDS (Doulos Ministries) we spent time at in Three Rivers, South Africa.
While we were there, he decided to teach me how to dance Zulu style. I think that
he bit off more than he could chew. Coordination is not one of my strong points
and try as hard as I might, I couldn't seem to get even the simplest steps down
pat for more than one repetition.
Fransie has wonderful coordination and rhythm. He had no problem with the dancing
whatsoever. As we get the Africa pictures put up on the website, I'll be sure
to post one of Fransie teaching me. Or should that be trying to teach me how to
dance?
Fransie would show me the steps in slow motion and I would do my best to follow.
I'd clap when I should have stepped. When it came time to move, I would touch
the wrong leg or lift the wrong foot. I'd step when I should have clapped. I think
he was torn between amusement at my inability and frustration at my lack of coordination.
Some of the other children stepped in to try and help as well, but the results
were still the same. Zulu dancing isn't a skill I have.
None the less, I promised Fransie that at the next big cowboy worship service
(August 27) I would do a Zulu dance for the congregation. I'll look pretty silly,
but a promise is a promise.
Not all of us come with the same gifts, talents and skill sets. That's a good
thing. If we all had the same talents, things would get pretty boring and most
things simply wouldn't get done.
Sometimes though those differences cause disappointment in the life of believers.
We see the gifts that another person has and we get envious. Instead of being
thankful for the gifts God has given us and using them fully, we mope around because
we're "not as good" as someone else.
News flash ... no matter how gifted we are, there will always be someone better.
Instead of moping about gifts we don't have, or someone being "better" lets rejoice.
God has gifted each of us as He sees fit. The gifts you have are uniquely yours.
No one else in the world will have exactly the same set of gifts, talents, experience
and skills you do. Celebrate your uniqueness and rejoice in God's plan for you.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself
more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us
has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the
others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
Romans 12:3-6a NIV
Until next time celebrate the fact that God cares enough for you to have designed
special gifts and talents just for you. Rejoice that there are parts of God's
plans that only you can fill.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have
value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing
to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without
you.
HELP FOR THE HURTING
Did you know that God cares about every aspect of your life. He designed you
to be a unique individual and to fill a special part of His plan. He loves you
more than you can know. Nothing would please Him more than to see you turn from
your sin and embrace His Son Jesus Christ as Lord. Will you do that today.
If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we'll send you some Bible
verses that will explain it to you.
You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your
heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a
prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer;
it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with
His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to
all who will accept it.
Jesus:
I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have
sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world
and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and
rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you
Lord.
Amen
If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with
you. It's not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a wonderful journey
to become more like Jesus. It's your starting point.
NEED PRAYER? GOT QUESTIONS?
If you're in need of prayer or answers to questions about the faith email us
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