A moment to look in the mirror......
James 1:27 says this, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I have been a believer in Jesus and His saving grace my whole life. For about the past 25 years I would say that I have been a more serious follower of the Lord Jesus and what He deems relevant. I have had a heart for the fatherless and the orphan, the lost, the hurting, those with no voice.......since forever. For about the past 25 years I have had an ability to not just care, but to also act. This is such an honor and such a burden all at once. To care so much, and not be able to do more than just a little bit of it to help make the wrong things right.......
It is with joy and deep humility that I can begin to now see a bigger work happening. God took my little bit of "what can I do, Lord?" and He called me out of a life of comfort, of worldly successes and lots of nice possessions......He has set me apart so that I will not become polluted by the world......and that has made living in the world kinda hard, actually. To be in it but not of it........
As we continue to unpack the Haiti trip for Roger and Claire, I am starting to see some fruit develop.......a sense of passing the torch to the next generation as we see Claire be completely ruined for shallow, petty and worldly things that most teens are obsessing about. She is starting to question everything. And she should. God Himself will give her the answers when and how He can.
Tonight I completed a home study reference letter for someone and as I did it, I remembered many other reference letters I have completed for other families who responded to the call to foster and adopt, and many conversations I have had with so many mothers about the gift and the hard work adoption is.
Jeremiah mentioned, just the other day, that he "plans to adopt a couple kids....."
I think, God is starting to show me that I don't have to adopt all the fatherless children in the world, or send money to every orphanage so that they can have food and education. I don't have to practically kill myself for the cause of true religion.....I just needed to do my part.
I don't know if there is more to "my part" or if I have done it. Only time, and the Will of God Himself......will determine that. I find myself encouraged tonight, tho, that maybe I have done exactly the right amount for those who come after me to pick up the torch of these things and take the love and support and awareness and righteousness further than I ever, ever could. Maybe (or maybe not) I can pray for families considering adoption, and help fund-raise for whatever cause my children decide to sow into, and write reference letters for people so that they can have approved home studies. Maybe I can love the people in my world and start to mentor and teach and grow wisdom into the part of the body of Christ that really and truly understands the true religion of God.
I know I'm not done. Heck. We may not even be done adding to this family through adoption or foster care, but maybe we are and maybe the part I have done is just enough. Maybe I still get to go to India once more, and to Liberia, and even to Haiti with my kid, or maybe the trips I took were just enough. I want to keep bending my ear to the whispers of Heaven, I want to keep tuning in to the Holy Spirit and where He breaks my heart for what matters to Him......I don't want to be afraid anymore that He will call me up or send me out to do something......super-hard and exhausting. Again.
Tonight, God, I pray for courage. I pray for a "yes" in my spirit for whatever you are thinking. I trust you. I trust you with everything and everyone.
I have been a believer in Jesus and His saving grace my whole life. For about the past 25 years I would say that I have been a more serious follower of the Lord Jesus and what He deems relevant. I have had a heart for the fatherless and the orphan, the lost, the hurting, those with no voice.......since forever. For about the past 25 years I have had an ability to not just care, but to also act. This is such an honor and such a burden all at once. To care so much, and not be able to do more than just a little bit of it to help make the wrong things right.......It is with joy and deep humility that I can begin to now see a bigger work happening. God took my little bit of "what can I do, Lord?" and He called me out of a life of comfort, of worldly successes and lots of nice possessions......He has set me apart so that I will not become polluted by the world......and that has made living in the world kinda hard, actually. To be in it but not of it........
As we continue to unpack the Haiti trip for Roger and Claire, I am starting to see some fruit develop.......a sense of passing the torch to the next generation as we see Claire be completely ruined for shallow, petty and worldly things that most teens are obsessing about. She is starting to question everything. And she should. God Himself will give her the answers when and how He can.
Tonight I completed a home study reference letter for someone and as I did it, I remembered many other reference letters I have completed for other families who responded to the call to foster and adopt, and many conversations I have had with so many mothers about the gift and the hard work adoption is.
Jeremiah mentioned, just the other day, that he "plans to adopt a couple kids....."
I think, God is starting to show me that I don't have to adopt all the fatherless children in the world, or send money to every orphanage so that they can have food and education. I don't have to practically kill myself for the cause of true religion.....I just needed to do my part.
I don't know if there is more to "my part" or if I have done it. Only time, and the Will of God Himself......will determine that. I find myself encouraged tonight, tho, that maybe I have done exactly the right amount for those who come after me to pick up the torch of these things and take the love and support and awareness and righteousness further than I ever, ever could. Maybe (or maybe not) I can pray for families considering adoption, and help fund-raise for whatever cause my children decide to sow into, and write reference letters for people so that they can have approved home studies. Maybe I can love the people in my world and start to mentor and teach and grow wisdom into the part of the body of Christ that really and truly understands the true religion of God.
I know I'm not done. Heck. We may not even be done adding to this family through adoption or foster care, but maybe we are and maybe the part I have done is just enough. Maybe I still get to go to India once more, and to Liberia, and even to Haiti with my kid, or maybe the trips I took were just enough. I want to keep bending my ear to the whispers of Heaven, I want to keep tuning in to the Holy Spirit and where He breaks my heart for what matters to Him......I don't want to be afraid anymore that He will call me up or send me out to do something......super-hard and exhausting. Again.
Tonight, God, I pray for courage. I pray for a "yes" in my spirit for whatever you are thinking. I trust you. I trust you with everything and everyone.
I love this so so much. I love that you see fruit. I love that you can see what I have seen for quite some time. God is using you as a change agent. He is breaking status quo. Your kids are going to grown into amazing adults with a heart for others. They learn what they live. You will mentor others as they rejoice and cry in the journey of adoption. Sometimes God waits to change our "perspective" and let us see what he sees until just the right time. Thanks for being you friend. I'm blessed to call you sister!
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