Needs.

Everywhere we look, both inward & outward, there are needs.

Answers.com has several definitons of the word ‘need’ that I’d like to share with you. Stay with me, I have a profound point!

1. a condition or situation in which something is required or wanted: crops in need for affection.
2. something required or wanted; a requisite: “Those of us who led the charge for these women’s issues… shared a common vision in the needs of women” (Olympia Snowe)
3. Necessity; obligation: There is no need for you to go.
4. A condition of poverty or misfortune: The family is in dire need.

To get to my point, the fourth definition is the need I’m referring to. While the first three are true, let’s discuss what I feel is the deepest definition of the word ‘need’.

For me, blogging is born out of need. My own, but more importantly my awareness of others’ needs. Do I need to make a difference? Not for my own self-righteousness. But do others need me to make a difference? Yes. Those that are in the condition of poverty or misfortune NEED someone to speak on their behalf. They NEED a voice to bring awareness to their NEED.

Ultimately I believe this is why Jesus came, because He knew we NEEDed a Savior to bridge the deep cavern that separated us from God. He sacrificed His own desires, His own needs of comfort, His own needs of security and well being to meet the NEEDS of the poor & brokenhearted that have no hope.

I really don’t want to over spiritualize this, but I do think it’s worth stating that Jesus is still meeting the needs of the poor & destitute. How is He doing this? Through us. Through people willing to tell the truth of what is happening to others in our world. Awareness is my goal. I believe awareness is the conduit towards change & fulfillment of needs.

I want (and dare say I have a need!) to be the change & inspire change in four main areas.

Across my Heart

Some days, I’ll be honest, I feel as though I’m just taking up space, just the shadow that follows my family around cleaning up after them & getting them to school on time. Do you ever feel that way? I keep thinking, wasn’t I created for more than this? Of course being a Mom is my highest calling & I’ll never want otherwise. I’m just saying that I can do more locally & globally to make an impact. Not only can I DO more, I can BE more. I want my heart & my children’s hearts not only to feel sympathy for those in need, but to break, to truly empathize with such active compassion that no amount of self-interest will stop us from helping them. My heart longs to bless & pour hope into the world - my world. I encourage you to keep serving your family, and perhaps serve them even more diligently by showing them a greater world with needs that we can meet. When we leave this world, let’s pass the legacy torch of pro-active, joy-filled servitude to our children’s generation.

Across our Table

As a Mom, I am keenly aware of my boys need for a mom to take care of them. Not just their physical needs like cooking & cleaning & clothing, but also their need to be nurtured. I’ll admit that it feels like 95% of my time is spent on their physical needs being met, but this doesn’t make their need for love & acceptance any less important. God has put an innate desire in children to be loved & nurtured, to be wanted. I’m so glad I’m a Mom!

Have you ever had the thought or even said, “If my kids only knew how good they have it…” I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve said that to my boys, “You do NOT know how good you have it!” If that is the case, then let’s show them what to do with all that good they have! Let’s teach our kids to be GIVERS!!!! Yeah, kids are selfish by nature, but they have tender hearts (somewhere along the road to adulthood, our hearts can lose their tenderness, if not cultivated). Yes, let US cultivate our children’s hearts by showing them that there are needs all around us & all over the world. Let’s bring them on this journey with us, allowing other people to speak into their lives, let them SEE the needs & BE APART of serving the needs.

Across our Street

Do your kids know that there are very likely students in their class that go to bed without dinner on a regular basis, simply because their parents can not afford it? Do they also know that they can make a difference & bring about change for that classmate? One great way to do this I believe is to inspire the older kids, junior & senior high to help out in their local elementary schools. And once you see these pre-teens & teens in action, you can’t help but be inspired yourself. In February, our local 5th graders put together a Food Drive for the entire Elementary School. They worked so hard & inspired over 1,700 pounds of food to be donated by CHILDREN for our local Food Shelf. Amazing! Let’s find out the needs in our neighborhoods, our kids schools & inspire our kids to bring about change across the street & in our community.

Across our World

I’ll say it again. God has put an innate desire in children to be loved & nurtured, to be wanted. This statement rings just as true when it comes to children that you & I have never met who live several thousand miles away from us. These children are in the condition of poverty & misfortune. They have physical needs that I want to bring awareness to, but also need to be loved, to know someone cares about them. As a Mom, I’m sure your heart aches to know any child is alone in this world. Many have lost both parents and siblings to AIDS and other preventable diseases. What are these kids to do when there is no one to take care of them, to show them how to survive, to provide food and clothing, to hug & kiss them? They still need MOMMIES!!! Fortunately there are ministries in Africa who are working day & night to meet the needs of these children, some with whom I’ll be connecting with on my blog. But more Moms Making a Difference are needed, more funding is needed, more awareness NEEDs to be brought. So lets start to do our part!

Passion ignites passion. I’m determined to make a passionate difference in the world & inspire Moms who read this blog to make a passionate difference in the lives you touch as well. Moms – I’m sounding a Call to Active Compassion! Let’s begin the journey!