Tiffany-three

3 weeks.

3 more Friday night dinners with the Newtons. 3 more English classes. 3 more Sunday mornings at church. 3 more Saturdays of playing with the kids.

It is becoming more and more apparent to all of us that we are leaving. We have such a short amount of time left here. What is even more obvious (to me at least) is that a large portion of our hearts will be left here.

They will be left with Judge Olga, who spoke of how we changed her view of Americans. They will be left in the smiles and laughter of the kids at the church, in the strength of Matt’s soccer team, in the joy of the students we have met, in Paige and Laura’s dance class, in the songs Kai has taught Hermes, in the humor of Mika our friend and brother.

There is still work to be done…for sure. Fact.

While here in Madagascar, I have been reading through 1 Corinthians. I love reading Paul’s letters, and often times laugh at how blunt he is.  Chapter 13 is where I am right now, and the more time we spend here, the more it resonates with me.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Paul speaks of love as the most important thing we do. You can have all these amazing gifts and abilities, but if you don't love, they are useless. I love verse 7 the most. Love trumps everything. Love is not just telling someone you love them, but showing them. Showing that you believe in who God created them to be. Knowing that God loves them enough to send His only Son for them and telling them. Love is not a feeling, it is an action.

If there is one thing I hope to do in the next few weeks, its to love.  In all our actions, I know that our love flows out. Not our love…but Christ’s love. It is overflowing. I pray that my cup runneth over….for the rest of my life.

The time is not over. We still have three weeks to love on people. To share the Gospel with people. To show them that there is joy, hope, love, and so many other things found in Christ. Please continue to pray for us. That we finish well. That no matter the cost, we share the Gospel. Above all, pray that God's love is shown to all the Malagasy people we meet.

"So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (v.13)