Deny, Self, Others...

The Lord is just blessing us lately with the fruit of our labor. It is wonderful how sometimes He allows us little glimpses at the result of hard work and obedience to His word. This fruit doesn't have anything to do with me, but the parents of this young lady who's story I am going to share with you.


This is Paulyna. She is pictured with my son only because I don't have another picture of her alone. This story is about her...not him, but they look cute together any way (just a side note).

For the past several months we have been learning that God demands radical obedience to His word. He wants us to obey everything He has laid out before us. He wants us to be doers of His word not mere hearers of his word. He wants us to be examples of this faith in Jesus to our children and to teach them as they grow to be obedient to Him and His word.

Paulyna just turned Sweet 16! Most children at this age are focused on themselves. As parents we either example a life of self service, working to seek recreation and entertainment, or we teach them to serve others, sometimes we do both.

Paulyna has been a perfect example of what her parents have exampled to her this past week. I want to share with you how.

Paulyna was going to celebrate her birthday as most teens do with a party. However, she wanted to do things differently. She struggled with having a party to serve herself. She wanted to celebrate, but how could she have a party complete with decorations, cake, presents when there are so many people in need around the world?


By her parents example she thought through the cost of this party. She could spend the money on this festive day...or she could help people in need. People who only eat one meal a day, have no appropriate clothes to wear in cold weather. Children who don't have moms and dads to love them, whose living conditions are substandard. She thought through the sacrifice of forgoing serving herself and what it would cost her to give it up for the glory of Lord.

Paulyna started planning her Sweet 16 birthday party with these people in mind. Pastor Cyrus and his wife Eucabeth are a young couple who have given their lives in service to Jesus Christ. They live in Kenya, way out of town in a small village. They serve their community and care for 22 orphans. They give ALL they are for the glory of the Lord.

After thought and prayer, Paulyan decided that she would have a birthday celebration. She would have cake and food. There would be games and swimming. All of her close friends would be invited to share in the fun....BUT...something was going to be different. Instead of excepting gifts as most teens do, Paulyna decided to give it up for other children like Justin and Phinny...

And for Bereket and Dianna...

And for all the other children of this orphanage. They may not know Paulyna, they may be forgotten by their parents or by loved ones, but they are not forgotten by God. By the grace of Jesus Christ that is evident in Paulyna's life, she gave up what could have been used for new games, i pods, clothes, movies or a number of different things to serve OTHERS!

On her birthday invitation she included a note that said:

Please NO gifts, money only to be donated to Remember the Poor.

Paulyna raised $110 by denying herself for the Glory of the Lord!

I am so proud of her! She has not only blessed the life of these children in Kenya, but the lives of the people around her. She has taken what she has learned from Jesus and put it into action in her life.

I love you sweet Paulyna. Your obedience will be rewarded by blessing!

Then Jesus went to work on His disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Matthew 16:24