by Leigh McGruder

I can barely put into words how I feel when I’m with the children at Imani. Their love that they show me is so beautiful. Every time they hold my hand, hug me, kiss me, and smile at me with the biggest eyes full of happiness… I’m speechless, warm, and I am just so thankful.

I’m thankful for the moment when Abigail was holding my hand while we were watching the other children play a ring toss game. There was yelling, cheering and jumping around. She opened my hand and still held her fingers in between mine, and then she kissed the palm of my hand. I just thought how precious that was. My hands were dirty, sweaty and really needed a wet wipe. Abigail didn’t see the dirt. She didn’t see the dirt and turn my hand over to kiss the back of my hand. I just see that as a beautiful example of how the Lord takes us by the hand in all the craziness, and looks at our most sinful parts of our being, and kisses them. He doesn’t care about the dirt, the grime, or the desperate need of a wet wipe. He wants to show us that He loves every part of us and he can clean my unworthy hands.

In John 15:16 it says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.”

I recently read this verse and it sank in deep. I’ve always known that He loves me no matter what, even when I choose sin. But I guess the wording of this verse just really puts it to me straight. I’m guilty of days that I haven’t chosen him. On those days, he looks at me and says, “Leigh, I still choose you, I choose your dirty hands.”