giving without expectations

I really cannot express in words what it is that I receive when I am able to share the need for Bible translation with others. It's like a fire inside me is lit and I feel warmth from my soul.

Tonight the girls and I were able to share with the youth of Woodhaven Baptist Church in Rock Hill. I went thinking that this experience would be engaging, but mostly for the kids. I planned activities that would interest and involve them on their level while teaching them about the need to reach the Bibleless people groups all over the world. I have never discredited kids. Never. I grew up experiencing missions first hand though and so in my mind I was mostly concentrating on the impact the evening was going to have on the children (mine included). Must be the momma in me.

As I sit in retrospect I realize that I didn't go into this evening giving the kids the expectation that they deserved... they were engaged throughout the entire evening. They talked. Participated. Asked questions... all of it WITHOUT ever hesitating. I felt safe with the kids too. I knew they weren't gonna care that I slipped my flip flops off through my presentation or when I was interrupted by a random thought... they just listened and absorbed it.

Tonight was one of the greatest blessings I have received through this partnership development experience... for the reasons above- yes. But I believe this is the main reason:

I went into tonight without any expectation of what I was going to receive. There was no pressure to discuss finances... I knew that I was simply going to inform them... I wasn't "getting" anything - so I thought.

DRUUUUUMMMMMMMMMmmmmMMM rooooolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.............!

I received the greatest blessing of - giving.

Wycliffe people have told me over and over again that this is what would happen. And I can genuinely say that I have tried to give. Give. Give. Tell. Tell. Tell. But until tonight I believe that I had never really experienced what it is to give without the expectation of receiving.

So thank you Woodhaven peeps for blessing my heart and rejuvenating my will to continue to give to others. You rock!