help us to give
Eighty-year-old Nadine asked quite a few questions after Niel and I shared about Thrive Africa at a small gathering of people in a friend’s home.
When the Q&A time wrapped up, someone asked if they could pray over us. Absolutely yes is always our answer. (We need all the prayers we can get!) As people prayed, my heart felt strengthened by their pleas for our health and strength, for increased wisdom and favor, for many more to be impacted through our ministry.
And then Nadine started to pray. She was crying so hard, it was difficult for her to stay composed. Her words were broken, separated by sniffles and sobs. But her short prayer was so powerful.
“Lord… thank You… that we can… be a part… of this. Help us… to give.”
I couldn’t help but smile as my eyes welled with tears. This sweet woman’s prayer was for help to give. To get involved. To be a part.
Later, as she stuffed $40 into my hand, amid more tears, she told me, “I wish I could do more.” She shared that her recent ailments have stopped her ability to engage in ministry and service like she used to; she was starting to feel useless, purposeless. “But now I know what I can do. I can give. And it’s just like going.”
Nadine’s got it exactly right.
I pray when I am 80 – not that far off – that my heart is still that tender towards God’s work.
@mandythompson says:
oh i love this.
yes yes yes yes yes
sometimes the BEST thing we can do is give – so others can go.
amen nadine!
That’s precious!
@moweezle says:
That was amazing…brought tears to my eyes too.
Nadine has been forever changed since your visit. She has been a tremendous blessing to me, and it has blessed me to see how much of an impact you made on her! Thank you! It was great to see you guys.
That is precious!
How horrible to feel useless and purposeless. I am glad she sees her situation with new eyes. ;-)
Her prayer…so true. ;-)
Wow. That was pretty inspiriing, Alece. Thanks.
that’s beautiful. that’s so awesome that God made that clear to her.
I’m sure that probably meant more to you than thousands because of the heart behind it. What exactly is your involvement and ministry? That is quite a calling on your life….you inspire me! Have a blessed day! :)
Beautiful. I can’t help but think of how you and Niel are actually ministering to others as you go from place to place and share the story of what God is doing through Thrive Africa. It’s no small thing for people to have the opportunity to have their hearts enlarged and faith encouraged and strengthened by what they’re hearing about….. to touch Him and be touched BY Him as they respond when He tells them how He wants them to partner in what’s happening there, whether it’s financially, prayer, etc. And as you’ve shown these past couple of days, there’s no age limit to this — it can be a 4-year-old child, or an 80-year-old woman!
Nadine sounds like someone who will never get old. Age speaks to our mental well being, not to the number of years we have lived. Caring and giving are two things that keep us from aging. How we help may change, that we continue to help others does not.
Alece, you are a very caring person. My guess is that at 80 you will have that same desire to help that keeps Nadine from growing old.
In Thrive Africa you and Niel are helping to create a better world. The young children that you minister now will build that better future.
Am I the only one who sees the amazing connection between your posts about Sydney and Nadine? From 4-80…we are all useful in HIS KINGDOM and WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE!
Thanks for sharing! That was a great reminder!
this brought tears to my eyes. She’s getting a castle in heaven for hear heart.
a lesson about priorities for me.
God has a way of taking things like blogs to hit me on the back of the head and say, “Wake up! I have better things for you than what you’re wasting your treasures on right now. Don’t waste. Give.”
Who would’ve thought. I have treasures!
Thanks for this, my precious american-african friend.
@cassgirl says:
God is reall thumping me on this subject, I just got done reading a powerful book on Kay warren’s mission with AIDS?HIV in Riwanda, but its so much more.
She said we not only need to be givers we need to be disturbed (i wrote a blog about it today), we NEED to talk, GIVE, PRAY, and BLOG about Thrive Africa and others.
It needs to be on the tip of our tongues… its in the world around us.
Alece, you and Niel are reaching Africa with the $ 40 and the prayers and all the other supporters, because you want to change the people in Africa around you, the people God GAVE you……………………..How incredibly God Awesome is that?!!!
prayin!!
Yes, Alece…yes.
@atangie says:
I am so proud of you for highlighting the heroes that you are meeting on your journey.
Praying for you!
@coloraturajoy says:
ryc: firstly, your eyebrows are not big in the slightest from what i can tell! and…funny thing: i used to get made fun of for having almost non-existent eyebrows… such sadness for one little girl ;)
@coloraturajoy says:
p.s. i just read this. my heart is flooded with joy from it!!! praise the Lord! what nadine said blesses me so much; it is exactly what the Lord has been whispering to my heart for quite some time now.
thanks for sharing such sweet stories. you have a full life, ma’am!
@mandythompson says:
i miss you
cassie — so great to see you… and thank you for arranging all that you did. you are a blessing. can’t wait to have you back on our side of the ocean.
marc — i think this is the first time you’ve commented! wowzers. welcome to the craziness that is the g&g family!
debs — ten years ago my husband and i founded thrive africa. we’re a missions organization/ministry based in south africa — we can email if you’d like more info… and you can check out our site: http://www.thriveafrica.org.
lisa and charlene — yes! i love that you made the connection between these two posts. god CAN use anyone — in fact, he WANTS to!
ed – your comments always strengthen my heart. thank you for speaking life to my soul.
cathi — “who’d have thought–i have treasures!” we are often blind to our own treasures. i think of the kid with the five loaves and two fish that became a fabulous miracle in jesus’ hand. he could’ve easily not thought twice about his simple lunchbox, but he offered what he had, and look what god did!
heidi — mmmm… i loved your comment, and your blog post. we do (myself included) need to be more disturbed. disturbed to the point of speaking up and speaking out more than we do.
JR — phew… thanks for calming my eyebrow fears. :-)
mandy — i miss you too. a whole lot. more than i thought i would.