Summer has been a great time for our family. This weekend, we have four soccer tournaments four of our children will be participating in. Gideon, my eight year old, and I, were able to go to England together for a month and had a fabulous time. The boys are at a professional football camp meeting NFL players from around the league. The picture below is Hudson, our two year old, with Eric Green, starting cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals. We are truly blessed beyond measure and thankful to God.

After reflecting on this, I couldn’t help but think of the kids I’ve met this year in Africa and all the orphans I love so much in Russia. Their lives don’t look at all like the lives of my children. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not feeling guilty for what my children have. Half of what drives me to provide for them comes from what I didn’t have as a child. I just ache for those children because they aren’t able to be children.

At eight, many of them are hauling dirty water from five miles away at 6:00 am in the morning or longing to go to school but don’t have the ten dollars it takes for tuition. It’s a much different life for them. In that regard, I do have responsibility to help orphans in need who come from such dire circumstances. This is what the Bible means when it refers to justice and our responsibility to be advocates to the cause of the poor.

“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” – Proverbs 29:7
“Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” – Amos 5:15

I hope today this is a simple gentle reminder: Be thankful for your blessings, say an extra prayer, and pursue justice with your whole heart.