I can’t stop thinking about her, and I pray for her almost nightly.

I worry about her, and I feel a love for her that is quite a lot stronger than I have any right to feel.

You see I’ve never even met her.

I’ve never heard her voice, I’ve never held her hand, but I feel like she’s another daughter. Her name is Susan Samanya, and Jessica, Amber, Maddie, and I have been sponsoring her through World Vision for nearly four years.

She is nine years old and lives in a Ugandan village with an outrageously high percentage of HIV-infected residents. She is beautiful, and it’s crazy how much love our family feels for her after simply donating a few dollars, buying her some gifts, and remembering her in our prayers.

It’s almost like Jesus was onto something when He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34).

In a world awash with financial pressure and preoccupation let’s make sure that our monetary investments give our hearts room to run. If my heart really does follow my treasure I want it to find something more substantial to land on than bills, fast food, and entertainment. I want it to land on something that will last forever.

Let’s give to our churches and let’s give to the needs in the world that most align with the burdens of our heart. Doing so will ensure that our money never owns us and that the synchronization of our treasure and our heart produces something beautiful.

The Hole in our Gospel Reading Program Chapter Nineteen: Two Percent of Two Percent