Quote-ables.

Has someone ever said something to you that has just stuck with you for years? Even someone who isn't a teacher, a public speaker, a pastor, or a celebrity? Someone you weren't even friends with, or didn't even know? Someone unlikely? Just someone random?

There have been times where someone has just popped into my life and said something that I can never forget.

One of those times was in 2006.

I was on a 10 day missions trip in Morelia, Mexico. There at Vida Abundante church I met a girl named Pia. She spoke a fair amount of English and she would sometimes help our team translate, as we all spoke very little Spanish.

I don't exactly remember what day of the trip it was, but it was mid morning during what we were calling a "Sports Clinic" (a basketball and soccer/futbol camp at the church for neighborhood youth), and me, Pia, and a leader on my team were sitting in the shade, just talking. The leader asked Pia (who I think was about 17...? I was 15 and I recall her being slightly older than me...) a question somewhere along the lines of "what do you want to do with your life?"or "what will you do once you graduate?" or something...you know those questions...

Her answer,
"I want to make God smile."

Simple. Straightforward. And totally genuine.

The young girl could barely speak English, and yet, she said one of the things that has stuck with me for years. I'll never forget it. I had never heard it put that way. Actually, I had never even thought of God with a smile on his face.

She found her joy in God and knew that above all else she wanted to bring Him glory. To make Him happy. To make Him smile.

Me too.