Giving It All Up!

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 NLT

I felt mortified when the register came up short for a cup of coffee.  I searched in vain through the various pockets and zippers of my purse.  Penny told me not to worry about it, 
but I could hardly thank her because of the shame I felt.


When God called me to Kenya in 2009, I never knew that to totally follow Jesus, I would need two years of giving things away.

  

First, God told me that I couldn’t love my family more than Him.  He asked me if I was willing to leave them and go, even if they didn't understand. The thought of leaving them was painful, but I knew Jesus was saying to me,

"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life,... 

he cannot be My disciple.” 1

Secondly, God asked me if I was willing to give up all of my possessions and my home in order to follow Him. 

"There is still one thing you lack," Jesus said. "Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 2

I knew I wasn't yet ready to follow Jesus to Kenya when my heart was still attached to possessions. So,I gave everything I owned to the poor, including my IKEA bed, the one thing I treasured most.  And then I realized...


It is not a true sacrifice until you give away something you value.

So there I was in the coffee shop, wondering, could I give up the little things too?  Would I grumble if I got to Kenya and couldn't have coffee when I wanted it?  Would I grumble about foods I missed?  And that's when Jesus reminded me,

…“you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you.” 3

I knew Jesus was telling me, "Christy, you must be willing to sacrifice even your own  physical needs for the sake of the kingdom."


It wasn't until I left the coffee shop that I found some coins tucked deep within a pocket.  I ran back to pay Penny, but instead she surprised me with,

“You don't owe me anything.  Instead go out and give the money to someone who needs it more than you.”

As I was turning to leave I saw a homeless man collecting cans for money.  God told me,

“Christy, give the last of your coins to this man.”


In these past two years, I have discovered that life's greatest treasure is only found in walking closely with God unfettered by the physical and material comforts, which are fleeting at best.

Thanks for reading!

Christy   

“Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest,

and have peace and sweet rest,

As you yield Him your body and soul.”

Elisha Albright Hoffman, 1900

1 Luke 14:26 NAS

2 Luke 18:22 NLT

3 John 6:27


Pictured in Photos (from top to bottom, my brother Jeremy, Mom, my sister Jody and my brother Tim)