Monday, January 25, 2010

you don't have to use words to communicate Christ's love

Last week I went to bed for the first time in two months at a time when the clock said p.m. and not a.m. That is progress, let me tell you. Over Christmas break Kate wasn't going to bed for the night until 2 a.m. And I mean she was wide awake until then, which is completely different than sleeping and waking to be fed again. With Seth, I could go back to sleep after feeding when he fell back asleep or take naps when he did. With Kate, not so much. Seth would get into too much trouble if I did that now. :) We have slowly been working on moving her bedtime up. I am happier when I get sleep. And everyone is happy when Mom is happy!

And now it's late. I should be in bed. I'm up not because of Kate but because I'm wide awake and wanted to blog. Up late by choice, not force. Very different things.

I wanted to blog because my heart is heavy. We just learned this weekend that Zsolt's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was supposed to have her first chemo today. I couldn't stop thinking about and praying for her all day, so I called Zsolt tonight to see how it went. The doctor changed her meds today and will start chemo tomorrow.

I know this sounds silly, but I was glad to hear it because I really wanted to make dinner for her tonight. One of my friends from high school was just diagnosed with breast cancer back in November and had her first chemo treatment last week. After hearing what chemo is like from her and a few others, I know that it wipes you out (among many other things!). I know that I cannot verbally share Christ's love with Zsolt's mom due to my lack of Hungarian (and lack of relationship with her), but I can make a meal and show her his love that way, even if she doesn't know or realize that it's his love. I don't have to use words to share Christ's love. And praise the Lord for that! So now due to the delay, I have a meal ready for her tomorrow! I felt bad that I didn't have it ready for tonight, but there was no time today. And it seems small, insignificant, and silly to say that I'm glad her treatment was pushed back one day to allow me to make a meal. Zsolt is coming to pick it up tomorrow since I cannot take it to her. I didn't think they would accept it, but they are grateful he said.

I have been praying that the Lord would draw Zsolt to himself. I feel inadequate because our native languages are not the same and much can get lost in translation. But God is greater than any language barrier. I was encouraged at our UWM team meeting last night to hear how God is working in another relationship between one of our team members and a Hungarian despite limited knowledge of each others language. God can still intervene and give insight when we have no words. So I have been praying that he would do that for us with Zsolt.

Zsolt shared over the weekend about other concerns and how this is just "not his year." I have said other times about things I have prayed about for them, but this time I asked him if we could pray about x, y, and z. He said yes and that he would appreciate it. That's the first time he's said anything like that. Usually he just doesn't answer when I've said things like that. Maybe he doesn't understand. Maybe he doesn't know what to say. But I was encouraged on Saturday by his response. Seth even told Zsolt "Jesus love me." That made my heart smile.

So if the Lord brings it to mind, would you join us in praying about all of this? Thank you!

1 comment:

Stefanie Schocke said...

Amen! God is bigger than it all! :)