Turning 40 is a big deal. Sure we are living longer than ever before and the big "four zero" is merely pit stop on the highway of our lives, but it's still significant. Like others, I now see turning 40 as a celebration of someone's life, rather than a concern for its brevity.
Well, my wife is turning 40 this year, and her life is definitely one worth celebrating. It is her silent (and maybe not so silent) strength that keeps our family running. And running would be a fitting word. Because for the last 6 years, she wakes in the early hours of the morning to exercise and get a respite from managing a demanding family of 8.
And while this re-energizes her, it also fuels her passion for giving back. Ever since adopting our two incredible Ethiopians, we have both been broken by the immense poverty and need that exists in our world today. Our trips to Africa painted a vivid and dramatic picture of how the rest of our world lives, and how poverty can cause a multitude of challenges for its' people.
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| ...like digging beneath the surface of their circumstances to uncover their heart. |
So now? She runs with a purpose...to support those who have nothing. In April she will once again toss on her running shoes and tackle the Nashville Half Marathon. This run marks her 5th half marathon in the last six years. And for those who train for these races, you can likely attest to the determination and physical strength it takes to prepare and run these distances.
It's hard work. I mean what's harder than getting up and running 13.1 miles?
Maybe being caught in a cycle of poverty? Having no access to basic medical care? Being imprisoned for begging?
Much harder things indeed. But solving these needs at the most basic level can lead to, dare I say, the critical work, of digging beneath the surface of these children's circumstances to uncover their heart. To help them discover, maybe for the first time, what their hopes and dreams are.
So my wife is turning 40. And she wants a present...
She wants to give hope. Hope for those who have nothing.
I could tell you that your gift is tax deductible, and that 100% of your gift goes directly to the work on the ground in Uganda through the ministry of Sixty Feet.
But what I will tell you is that your gift will make a significant difference by providing basic medical care, education, justice, counseling and the Gospel, to children who need it the most.
Thank you...and Happy Birthday Katie.
