Sleepless in Homewood

Ok, so it's 3 in the a.m., I can't sleep, and feel like total crap. This crud that I got in Honduras is really taking it's toll on me. I can't stop coughing, blowing my nose, and my head hurts now...I'm quite sure it's from the coughing and the blowing of the nose.

That's not the only reason, though, why I can't seem to get some z's. My thoughts are still in Honduras and the amazing people that I met down there. However, there is one person who has truly been on my heart for the past few days.

Her name is Ariana. She's 12 years old and she is a stud. Seriously, this girl has an amazing heart, and in that heart is a true passion for God and his people. This rock star Christian served as one of our translators for a couple of the days that we were there. (There was also another 12-year-old, Elisa, that worked with us for one day, but I didn't get to know her as well as I did Ariana so I can't say much about her.) Anyway, Ariana, at the ripe old age of 12, is bilingual, a leader in her chruch (in my opinion anyway), and is third in her grade at school.

In Honduras they attend school year-round, but the week we were there was a rest week for the middle school and high school kids. Ariana gave up her week of rest -- when most of her friends were out having fun and playing around, doing things that normal teenagers do -- she was out with us, sharing the gospel and showing the love of Christ to her people.

Everyday, we were able to go out into the community and pray for the people in the community, but there was one particular day that Ariana joined us in that. She ended up being the translator for my group on the third day that we went out and I would venture to say that everyone in my group had no reservations about praying with these people. However, there was one point during our door-to-door trek where Ariana just took over. She spoke to the people and asked them what their needs were and if we could pray for them. Of course, she let us do the praying but instead of just serving as our translator the whole time, she actually worked as part of the group and joined in the serving.

I am completely blown away by the devotion of this young girl's heart to God. I can only pray that she will continue to surrender to God's will for her life daily and that God will continue to use her for his glory. Well, I don't have to pray for that because I know that He already will but I can pray for continual blessings on her and her family.

I can tell you for a fact that when I was 12 I was definitely not even thinking about going door-to-door, asking people what needs I could pray for them about. I mean, I was a Christian, I had been for five years, but the thought never entered my mind, nor had the opportunity even been presented to me or explained to me, that you could even do that. I can only hope that if I ever have a son or daughter that they will turn out to be half the stud at 12 that Ariana is.

Praise the Lord for placing her in a home of believers who care enough to teach her how to be a disciple of Christ and how to disciple and serve others!

As my friend Issy (who is also 12 years old) said the other night, "I guess a 12-year-old girl really can impact the world!"

Amen!