the eyes of LOVE.

He says to me,

look into the eyes of love.

Into the eyes of the One who has loved me before my birth. Who knows me better than anyone else, who calls me Beautiful One even when I am deep in the muck and mire of this broken world. The One who calls me forth into his love, into his grace, into his family and into the glorious destiny that he has dreamed over my life. He is the One who lifts me up and crowns my head with his love and goodness, who calls me into royalty and true riches, who fills my life with his glory and his presence. And in him I find contentment and peace. He invites me over and over, saying "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me." (song of songs 2:10)

'Come look into my eyes of love.

Be made whole in my love.'

With this invitation I walk into the township community, Masiphumele. With this invitation I spend time the women in Masi, whose lives are filled with brokenness, pain, fear and loneliness. With this invitation I call them to leave the ashes of their lives and receive beauty. I call them to receive the love of the Father who will never leave them or forsake them. To drink in the affection of the One who is the lover of their souls.

God is pursuing his people. He is crying out for his sons and daughters to come and be made whole in his love. Here is one such story:

I met Gloria last year during CPx. I had come to spend some time with a family I had recently met and she was simply there visiting for the afternoon. She was a beautiful, young, tiny framed girl. She was very pregnant and had her 3 year old daughter with her. In the short time I spent with her, my heart was filled with deep love and compassion for this young woman. That next day she was on my heart and mind, so I spent time praying for her. The Lord began speaking to me about how he longed for her to know that he would never leave her or forsake her as her father did. That he had come for her. I prayed for her and thought about her often, but I never saw her again because she had moved across Masi to live with her boyfriend. Even as I traveled back to America, I often would think of Gloria...

Last Friday at Vovo's women's gathering in Masi, as I sat crowded in a shack full of women, I looked up to see Gloria walk in. I only saw her once a year ago, but I knew it was her! She carried a one year old boy on her back and held the hand of her young daughter...my heart was filled with joy! As many of the women shared their testimonies of God's goodness in their lives, she shared how she was overwhelmed with her difficult circumstances in life but that last year she had gotten connected to Baby Safe (an All Nations project that supports babies and mothers in need). She shared how she had been given hope. I sat in awe of how much the Father loved this woman. After the gathering was over I went to her and shared with her how I had been praying for her since we met. Her face was filled with joy! She is being pursued by the Father because of his great love and delight for her! I am filled with hope and expectancy for what he has for her life and I am so looking forward to spending more time with her.

What joy it is bring such an invitation to hurting, broken and dying people. To go with such good news! To carry a banner of love! To have hands that are full of hope, grace and healing! I am honored to be a vessel of love to a world that so desperately needs it!

Current and upcoming news:

-I have been assigned the families I am mentoring through Vulnerable Children! I am so eager to begin spending time with them and loving on these families!

-Next Saturday we are taking the VC kids to the beach! Listening to them scream and dance for joy when we told them of the beach day was truly priceless!

-I am taking on a lot of administration work for the VC program. I am excited to be able to serve in this way and put my degree to good work!

-I am celebrating the engagement of my dear, dear friend Amanda Sperle to Tyler Hardage! It is hard to be so far away, but I am rejoicing nonetheless!

-I had a WONDERFUL birthday on friday! It was a dream of a birthday! Breakfast in bed, relaxing on the beach, my favorite meal for dinner, lots of friends for a game night and tons of love from home! I am one blessed girl :)

THANKS FOR READING! I am BEYOND BLESSED by each of you who has joined me on this journey!

with love,

whit