Faith and Deeds

I am totally enjoying this chilly weather today:) May be stopping to get a yummy white mocha from Starbucks on the way to work! Pretty much my favorite drink besides Caramel Apple Cider....perfection. Anyway, it has been a crazy busy past couple of days, but I'm amking a habit to catch up on Mondays with everything God is doing!!

Last night I went with my best friend Alysha, her sweet daughter Journey, and that pretty amazing guy I've mentioned before, Austin, to go see the Watoto Children's Choir at Crossroads Church. Let me just say if you ever get a chance to see them, you will laugh and cry...alot. Maybe that last part was just me;) I have been dying to experience what these children have been through in Uganda. Poverty, oppression, slavery, fear, sickness...the list goes on and on. These kids have seen more in their lives than I could ever possibly imagine seeing. And you know what the crazy thing is? They are far more joyful than people I meet here that have all the comforts that these kids could only dream about. What struck me last night was the constant attitude of gratitude from these children. They didn't complain about their pasts, they didn't speak about them with bitter regret or anger...they rejoiced for what God did through them. They are so completely devoted to the Lord in EVERYTHING they do. They run to the Word in hard times, they encourage each other, and they love like nothing I have ever seen. And these kids are not older than 12!! How many six year olds will stand up and say they dance, sing and do everything for God because He is their all?? Not many six year olds I know would say that. These children taught me a beautiful lesson on living with gratitude for my daily blessings and they also challenged me to have hope for my future, beacuse God works in all things :) Check out Watoto.com to see what you can do to raise beautiful, Godly leaders for the war torn region of Northern Uganda. It has taken a very special place in my heart now.


So In conclusion I want to add in one of my favorite parts of Scripture. The last part of James chapter two rocks my world! It says this, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.'
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend.You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (14-26).


Faith without deeds is dead...think about it. My challenge to myself and to you is to begin to act on the compassion you have for others.