Ever since children's choir last week, my heart has been so heavy.
Why? You ask.
We were singing that song I wrote the blog post about, "Bring My Praise."
And a little girl came up to me (she's in kindergarten, sweet as can be, super cute, and lives with a foster family) tears filling her eyes.
"This song makes me sad," she said as tears ran down her cheeks.
I scooped her up in my arms and we went to the back of the room. She buried her head in my shoulder and her tears left stains on my shirt.
"Did you know Jesus loves to hear you sing?" I asked. She nodded. I rocked her for a few minutes, hugging her tightly, trying not to cry myself.
"Why does it make you sad?" I asked. I wasn't expecting the answer she gave me.
"It makes me think of my mommy and daddy. And I don't have one." She began to bawl. And my eyes filled with tears. Her little heart was so broken.
I just held her tightly and she continued to cry.
"Do you know how much Jesus loves you, sweet girl?" I asked. She just cried. And my heart continued to break.
I thought about this all night and I told several friends.
This sweet girl, who feels alone in this world, needs love. I'm thankful that I know this sweet girl receives so much love from her foster family. I see them in church every Sunday and I'm confident that she has love...but don't you just wonder what goes through her little mind?
There are so many children in foster care or in orphanages all around the world that don't get love. Their hearts are broken and they need Jesus. They need people like us to step up to the plate and love them. People like us who can show them God's precious, gracious, merciful love.
And it breaks my heart to know that there are children out there, just like this sweet little girl, who don't have mommies and daddies. Who don't have people on a daily basis to love them. Friends, their hearts can be healed. And there is so much we can do. If only we would just do it.
So, as I love on children in children's choir, and love on this sweet little girl, I challenge you to think about what you can do. So many children need love and after this peek into this little girl's heart...I've been
continually challenged to love. God keeps telling me, "This is what I want you to do. To love children, no matter what their circumstances."
So that's what I'll do for this sweet girl. I'll show her God's love. And I'll continue to tell her that Jesus loves her more than she can imagine. Because really...that's all that matters.
~Bailey
