Thursday, April 21, 2011

forget the frock

My amazing, Jesus lovin' friend Emily from The Fox Family  wrote an amazing guest blog for another amazing friend, Natalie at 5 Million Minus 1

I will be the first to admit that I love all things fashionable, shiny and trendy. Easter in the South is ridiculous. Much like Christmas, we have forgotten why we originally started this holiday. It's become baskets, bunnies, bonnets and little white shoes. I love a new dress as much as the next girl - and don't even get me started on a new pair of shoes- but my heart has been burdened lately as commercials bombard you with sales on dresses, baskets and candy. I read facebook status after facebook status of parents who complain about money in one and then complain about frantically going shopping for matching Easter apparel in another. Doesn't that sound like craziness? 

If that doesn't, this will. This year, the Gooden family is skipping the Easter get-up. Sunday morning you'll find us happily sporting our Feeding the Orphans shirts.

Of all that Sundays in the year, Allysa, why Easter Sunday? Well, isn't rescue, feeding the needy and adoption what the Gospel Story is all about?

Romans 5: 6-8 (NIV) says we were rescued:
 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 He didn't wait for us to get our act together, He knew we needed a savior so He came to us while we were still weak with sin.

John 6 (NIV) shows us that He feeds us when we're hungry:
 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do...12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 

Convicting. God knows exactly where the food to feed these children is going to come from... from what we consider nothing, God creates a feast. The cost of the t-shirts we'll wear on Sunday feed an orphan 3 meals a day for a month. Like a that boy's sack lunch, God will take my $25, bless it and it will multiply into plenty

Galations 3:23-28 (NIV) says we have been adopted as children of God through our faith:
 23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

I love that last verse. Our great God is the biggest supporter of international adoption ever! What better day to support international adoption and the millions of orphaned children around the world than on the day we've chosen to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. The Son of God who came to this earth and died so that we could be called children of God. Black or white, African or Asian, Jew or Gentile, slave or free- there's no distinction. We're all children of the living God who gave His life to set us free. 

It is with great joy that we support this ministry, prayerfully consider adopting and brag on sweet little Tedi Henderson like he's our own kid even though we've never met. :)(... yet!)

In the words of the exuberant, loveable, Jesus lovin' fashionista Emily Fox, 
"Happy Easter Ya'll... now go love some Orphans!"
Happy Easter!
--Allysa 


Matthew 25: 31-40
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
   34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
   37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

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2 comments:

jennyb said...

Allysa, I just love your heart for people and for Jesus. I stand continually blessed at your ability to hear God's call for your life and prayerfully follow it even when it's difficult. You continue to bless me and I am blessed to call you friend. :)

Kara said...

What an encouragement! I feel blessed by this post.