Created To Love.

John 4:7-12 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might love through Him. This is love: not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us."

What was I created to do?

So many people have been asking me, "what is your story?" or, "when did you get this passion?" Summer of 2009 at Youth For The Nations (the summer camp I have attended since I have been saved) I was placed on the nation of France, and that was when the issue of human trafficking was first placed on my heart. It was the first time I had ever really heard the horrific stories of sex slavery going on in all parts of the world. I remember being in a night service, crying my eyes out heartbroken on the issue, and telling God, "I will be a prayer warrior for these girls, but God there is nothing I can do. It's too big of an issue, it's going on in too many countries and too many girls are affected. I will pray constantly, but there's nothing I can do." Since then I have been researching and praying for these girls. I was part of the intern body at YFN last summer– it was right after graduating from high school, so of course my future was prayed about a LOT. I didn't have peace anymore about going into the medical field, but I prayed and prayed all summer, and God really never said no. So, in the fall I went to Texas A&M as a biomedical science major, continuing in the plans I had always had for my life. Randomly someone I really trust told me to start studying the issue of human trafficking, and said that she felt like God was going to use me in that issue. I was sort of in shock. I had never told her about the burden for those girls that I had, I had never told her I was praying for them or anything. It was completely random, but I was obedient. I started looking more into it gradually, and continually the issue broke my heart more and more. I felt a tug from God to work with this issue for my lifetime. Was I in doubt? Yes. Did it all sound crazy? Yes. Does this sound like something insane that I am not worthy of even putting my hands in? Yes. But, has He designed me and set me apart to make eternal difference in the lives of women who live in this issue as a reality? After much fasting and praying, and crying and breaking, and more fasting and praying, yes. This wasn't anything I had in mind for my future. I didn't want this, and I didn't plan this. But walking in His path has never been more rewarding. When I gave him a little room, He took over my life. But, I wouldn't take it back for anything. Now everything makes sense– the things that I have gone throughout that I didn't understand have all been preparing me and molding me into this moment, and He has been allowing me to see that. Right now, I am sitting in my sweat in Chiang Mai, and there's no place else I'd rather be. He so much better than anything I have ever wanted or ever dreamed of.

I was created to love.

"Beloved" means "the loved by God," and it is not a coincidence that part comes before "let us love one another." He loved me first. And now that I have a glimpse of understanding His love for me, in return I can love others. I'm called to love. I'm called to love His people. I'm called to love those who do not know of His love. I'm called to love the captives.

God is love. That's what He is– it is His nature. And love is universal. You can love between races, nations, cultures, and even languages. None of those things limit His love. Being in a foreign country, I have been having to learn that those things can't limit my love for His people as well. Since He loved us first, we ought to love one another he is the Creator and Demonstrator of love. And because HE IS LOVE, I am able to love– despite my imperfections, despite my circumstances, and despite my weaknesses. I am created by God to love with all of my heart, even if that means loving prostitutes, trafficking victims, or even children who were born into brothels. He has brought me to Thailand to love His people.

1 John 4:19 "We love because He loved us first."

-kf