Love is the Difference

Oh my goodness! I am so excited!!!!

I was just googling "Same Kind of Different as Me" so I could find a picture to put on this post about how I just finished the 2nd book, "What Difference Do it Make?" and guess what I saw???

They are making a movie about the book and Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in it!!!!

This is going to be the best movie ever!!!! I can't wait!

I loved the follow-up book that I just finished. It has so many awesome quotes in it and the whole point of these books is that one person really can make a difference and that sometimes, the most unlikely person in the world can be used by God to change people's lives! It's like a ripple effect......one person takes time to just love another, and that changes that person's life, who in turn ministers to others, and before you know it, thousands of lives have been changed simply because one person loved. I think that is definitely why Jesus said the most important thing we can do is love others as He loved us. Love is such a powerful thing.

These books have taught me SO much. One time, I had just spent hours reading a blog about all of the millions of orphans in Africa and my mind was going 90 miles an hour, trying to think of what I could possibly do to make a difference. The thought of all those precious babies being without parents brought me to tears. I mean, think about it.........I am 33 years old and I struggle with one of my parents not being here. I cannot imagine being a child with no parents to be loved by. So, anyhow, it was super late and I was walking to my closet so that I could get ready for bed and all of a sudden I hear this thought in my head........."It was never about the money." Yeah, yeah........I know, Kristin's crazy and all, but I promise you I'm not. I have found that if you take the time to get to know the Lord, He will take the time to answer you.

So, why did the Lord tell me that? I believe He was just trying to tell me that I don't have to have lots of money to make a difference! That idea was definitely reinforced in the message of these books. Yes, money does help, but love is the key to making a real difference in the lives of others. One of the most powerful parts of the book was when Denver said:

"If all the Christians - I mean all of 'em - got outta the pews on Sundays and into the streets, we'd shut the city down.

We'd shut down hunger.

We'd shut down loneliness.

We'd shut down the notion that there is any such of a thing as a person that don't deserve a kind word and a second chance."

Isn't that the truth! We all want to go to church and sing songs and read a few bible verses and believe that that is serving God. But most of us don't really want to go out and serve, because that might be uncomfortable. That might take time or make us get dirty. Denver talks about how many people used to come give him flyers to invite him to church when he was homeless, without thinking about the fact that he couldn't even read and what was he going to do with all his stuff? He sure wasn't going to leave it out there to be split amongst all the other homeless. He says, "See, we don't need to be tryin' to drag the homeless, or any kinda needy people, to "programs," to "services." What people needs is people." And we don't have to be perfect to go out as disciples and serve others. My most favorite quote of all?........"Jesus don't need no help from no perfect saints. If He did, He wouldn't a' gone up yonder and left us down here in charge."

Amen to that!!!!!!

Last night, we went to our Lifegroup (bible study). We are still talking about staying in love. Last night we were talking about how Jesus did not walk into a room and go, "Yeah, I'm Jesus and I'll take that table and here's what you can fix me to eat, blah blah blah." He never used who He was as leverage in relationships. In order to stay in love, we have to quit using different things as leverage to get what we want. We have to place ourselves beneath our spouse and serve them in order to stay in love. We have to be in awe of our spouse, just as we might be in awe of a famous person........giving them all of our attention. It was all from the book of Phillipians, Chapter 2. We had a great time and are really getting alot out of this group. It was really awesome, when I walked in and saw this:

Isn't she the sweetest, most precious thing you've ever seen? I told her Mommy that she will have to be my new model for Summer Suzette Couture. =)