What breaks your heart?

"And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,"

                                                       Nehemiah 1:4

In our last update we shared with you a lot of the things going on in our lives and ministry right now and throughout 2015. Like yours possibly, it is a long list that has several exciting points highlighted with several anxious ones also. 

But at the end of the day, what is my real goal for this year? What is the end result of my life if I live it out in God's will?

I think the answer to that question is one we should all have an answer for. Recently I listened to a very challenging sermon given out of Nehemiah. As you might know he was a godly man, the cupbearer to the king himself. Yet, upon hearing of the trying time of God's remnant of Israel it did something to him. He heard it, sat down... and wept. It broke his heart. So much so he decided to take action and try to help remedy the situation.

After reflecting upon this it made me think, "What breaks my heart for the kingdoms sake?". We even discussed it as a family. The children's answers varied. It was a very sweet and convicting time. Was 2015 supposed to be all about me? My self? My dreams and my hopes? I don't believe so. I believe our lives should be a reflection of Christ and His life lived: outwardly focused.

Everywhere Jesus went he made a difference. Everywhere. It was change and change for the better. He reached out as only He could and met people where they were. No, he did not take on their sin and live as they did but He sat with the sinners, even worshipped with Pharisees, right where they were. The sinfulness of man broke His heart. It was all around Him and comprehended at a level only to be possibly understood by us on the other side of eternity. 

For some very odd reason, God has chosen this little ole' broken family from the hills of West Virginia and put us right square in the middle of 3rd world poverty. Right in the middle of people who are just like you and me. They love, they laugh, they hurt and they cry, all while living on around $1-$2 a day. They try their best to make it through. Some navigating the inner-city's gritty streets in Guatemala City while others speak foreign Mayan languages in villages just 30 minutes away while walking the dusty roads of Guatemala's heartland. 

They have no hope. Not only do they struggle to eat more than a handful of handmade tortillas daily or that a chicken bus passes by so they can travel 1-2 hours to wait on a doctor that may or may not see them on any given day... they pass their lives just trying to survive life itself. Hopelessness.

And it breaks my heart. 

We came here with the aim of reaching as many souls for Christ as He would allow while also building the local church and making disciples. Thankfully, we are accomplishing this goal and calling. But to some it may not be enough. Maybe it's not quite what they envisioned God's plan for us to look like here. Whatever it is, we are grateful for this opportunity that exceeds monetary value. It is a priceless call. How could we ever be sorry we took up the calling of the Spirit and where He has put us? How can we not reach those around us, right where we are? How can we not extend the love of God to those that made us sit and weep, and broke our hearts?

Allison's teacher recently asked the students in her class a simple question: 

Where is the most wealthy place on planet earth? 

As you can imagine the answers varied greatly. They ranged from people, to countries, to cities the world over. But, the answer he gave was quite surprising and thought provoking. The answer, he said, was found at the nearest cemetery. 

What? The cemetery? Yes, the cemetery. For within those solemn grounds lie the dreams, hopes and will of God that were never accomplished for millions of souls. They are without value. Worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox. Priceless.

My I challenge you this year? Could you answer the question: What breaks my heart?

More importantly, what will you do about it this year? Remember Jesus? Everywhere He went people were changed and positive difference was evident. Will the same be said about us and our lives this year?

What God has laid on our hearts here in Guatemala is no more sacred than yours. It is priceless indeed but so are the things that break your hearts for Christ's sake.

Think about. Act upon it. Don't feel like you have to defend it or reason it out. God has you where you are, for a reason.

Don't go to sleep among our forefather's with a coffer full of the priceless, unfulfilled, will of God.