This week I have been so thankful that I was born American.   Being raised in a low to middle-class American family, I have had so many opportunities that 95% of the rest of this world have not.

As a child, my mom would tell me about starving children in other countries and I really wished I could send my oatmeal with raisins directly to them.  I have never experienced true hunger , let alone starvation.

I have had the opportunity to learn, work, have a roof over my head.  I have been able to home-school and then choose schools for our children that we felt were best for them.  I have had reading materials readily available to me my entire life.  I had a mother that read to me, and we read to our children.

I have always been patriotic, my favorite clothing choices have always, been red, white, and blue.  I love the Statue of Liberty, our flag, the Liberty Bell,  our soldiers, our country that was founded “Under God”.  On 911 I felt personally violated, as I am sure many other Americans did.

With all of my patriotic thoughts this week I have also been reading in Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners.  In Colossians 1:13-14  I read, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Did God give us all of this freedom, resources, privileges so that we could want more material things for ourselves?  Did He give us the education and resources to just reach the people we WANT to talk to?  No, He clearly didn’t.  He didn’t make all of us to go.  He made some of us to send, some to give, some to pray.  He made us to work together.  Living in this tribal Nigerian society has helped me realize how very independent we Americans are.  I am thankful that God has given us partners that have heard God’s call to send us, support us financially, and pray for us.  He put people into our lives that don’t know Him.  They need the freedom that only comes from Jesus.

My point for today is this:  How are you reaching the people God has placed in your life?  That. Is. All.