Orphan Sunday/ MAN UP

Today is Orphan Sunday.  A solemn day to recognize the suffering of the Fatherless all around the world, but also a day of hope that in Christ, we all have the power to be Jesus to them, and that we're actually all called and commanded to do just that.  I LOVE the children's home in Pallisa!  (It's called Kerith, by the way.)  It is SUCH and incredible blessing and privilege to be able to have a part in shaping the faith of even one precious little one, "the least of these" in the sight of the world, but precious royalty in the sight of Jesus.  It will be so heartbreaking to leave them in December, but I am confident in the Lord that I will be able to continue being a part of their lives, as I feel this peace within me that God is still leading me to make my life forever in Uganda.

"And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon." Philippians 2:24

You know, I revel in each sweet second I get to be "Mommy Allison" to these kids, and no matter how much my inner "independent woman" says we can, all these single women missionaries I learn about all over the world participating in orphan care can't fill every need for these kids, (though I fully recognize God can fill every need, and I'm definitely not saying there are no orphan-passionate males out there, only that there are very few), so I can't help but notice something missing... There's a hole in the puzzle of Christians caring for orphans...  It's father figures.  Guys who give kids an earthly example of what fatherly love is, so they can have a less screwed up view about what God's love, as our true and perfect Father, really is.  Guys who can really identify with the boy orphans, and play sports with them, and make them feel so incredibly special, and to make the girls feel protected and like the little princesses that they truly are...

Where are the men?  Yeah, I notice a bunch of males walking around out there, but where are all the GODLY MEN?  Where are the guys who are trying to model fatherhood off of our Heavenly Father?  Have you noticed the increasing amount of "fathers" who abandon their families all over the world?  Who mistreat their wives or their children?  Do you truly realize that this is so NOT how it's supposed to be?  We can fight this with prayer!  God did not create men to be cowardly, lazy, selfish, and prideful.  Now, I know not ALL men are like this, but in my life, I can probably count the truly Godly men I know without using up all 10 fingers, if I think really hard.  This is not a lamentation of what is wrong, for there's nothing God can't redeem, but the Body of Christ needs to put in some serious time on our knees praying for God to raise up His men to all the He created them to be, and praying that we would all have the grace and faith to obey His specific calls on our lives - whether male or female. 

 1 Timothy 5:8 says:

"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, especially those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 

Providing means sooooo much more than money.  There are plenty of ways to provide for you family that don't cost a cent.  What about providing unconditional, ceaseless love?  Encouragement?  Spiritual leadership?  Quality time?  To the men: PLEASE MAN UP and be all that God created you for, because you are NEEDED out here in this world, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

(ps-I'm not delusional enough to think that throngs of men are perusing a blog entitled "Princesses of Christ", so if those of us who are seeing this would just spend some extra time on our knees praying for our men to rise up and love the Fatherless, and encouraging them to grow in their faith, and discover all that God has planned for their lives, I promise you, because Jesus promised, that our prayers will be heard,) 

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24

 Stay strong, and go boldly before the throne of God!  We're all in this together as brothers and sisters in Christ!

Love you all so much, because He's teaching me how, 

Allison