What Makes YOUR Heart Smile?

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to meet Amie at a women's retreat at church. My heart felt an immediate connection with her. I've had the opportunity to visit and serve in China and currently am a part of the board for China Service Ventures. Amie has a heart for China's children. So big is her heart for them that her family is in the process of welcoming their fourth child into his "forever family" (this will bring their family count to 8 great kids!!!). As I read her blog - "Heart Smiles", it makes my heart smile knowing the impact she is making not only on the lives of the children that are being welcomed into their family, but the lives of their other kids, and the lives of those they meet as they live their lives. (That's a lot of lives!)

What a wonderful example of a family serving around the corner and around the world! They are bringing the world right here...around the corner!

Living, sharing, and serving your faith doesn't have to require big gestures. Not many of us are in the position of Amie and her family to welcome new kids into our families the way that they have. (Although I sure would love to!) But I can carry a couple of extra bottles of water or food bars in my car to share with someone standing with a sign on a street corner...I can share words of gratitude and appreciation with someone in the service industry who usually goes unacknowledged (think about the person who cleans the restroom at a hotel or the airport, or who clears off the tables at the restaurant...)

When we pause in our lives to serve another, it not only makes their heart smile, but I've found that my heart smiles...and I'm sure that God is smiling, too!

What makes your heart smile? How will you bring that smile to the heart someone else today?