Love this video too!

This is a great video. Some of you have seen it. But I love the line, "your pain has changed me." You might have to copy it and paste it into the browser. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSdP6PqsbJY

THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!

In our Bible study we have been reading the book "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. It ia pretty popular book in the Christian community and it is going well with what God is teaching me right now. Here is what the beginning of chapter 5 says,

If our single, and-all embracing passion is to make much of Christ in life and death, and if the life that magnifies him most is the life of costly love, then life is risk, and risk is right. To run from it is to waste your life.
John Piper further goes on to say that "risk is an action that exposes you to the possibility of loss or injury."

I am reminded daily that the life I live is risk. Really everyone's is. You could get in your car and get in an accident and die. You could have a heart attack right here and now. Life is a risk. Currently I am reminded that what we are doing with this adoption is a risk. Anyone who knows my husband and I know that we are risk takers. We often do not do things that are practical, and get rude remarks from all kinds of people even Christians. Throughout scripture there are not many prophets, and followers of God that were practical and didn't take risks. They all took risks. Why? For 2 reasons: 1) They wanted to obey God (Jesus says if we love God we will follow his commandments). 2)Because God gets the glory when things don't make any sense but we step out in faith. This is seen throughout the Bible too. Look at Elijah, Jonah, Abraham, all the prophets, and all the disciples. The hardest part of taking a risk for God is the question, "What if He doesn't pull through for me?" Which really means, "What if God doesn't do what I want him to do, or the outcome is not what I expected." I am haunted by the idea that we will not raise enough money in 2 weeks and not be able to get this baby boy. But God reminds me that sometimes His ways are not our ways. Sometimes he uses the broken road to lead you where HE wanted.
What about John the Baptist? Didn't really turn out so well for him. He got his head cut off because he lived for Christ and so did most of the disciples. I realize that is a little extreme and me stepping out in faith to adopt another child is not life threatening but for me it is hard, and I have to swallow a lot of pride, and deny my people pleasing tendencies (Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:4).

I do not have all the answers, but I know this. God has asked us to minister to the least of these and although it is hard, and involves a lot of risks, questions, uncertainty, and faith. I know that He has a plan for it all and I have many stones of remembrance to believe that He has something great for our future with adoption and so much more. Any of you who know how we got Malachi know this, and I am trusting and holding on to the fact that this particular baby we are looking at now, might not be the one, but that God knows what child is to be ours and I know He will do great things.

All that to say (sorry I am long winded) thank you for your prayers, because they have helped me in believing, and not getting discouraged! I love you all for supporting us, even if it doesn't make sense to you!!

Some Ideas

I was reading a blog from a fellow adoption blogger about funding adoptions and here are some ideas that I think are great that people could do if they wanted to, that do not take a lot of time either!
-Sell some items on ebay
-have a yard sale (although the weather is getting colder for some of us)
-raffle an item off
We will also probably be needing airline tickets, hotel and rent a car so if anyone wants to donate frequent flyer miles, or credit card points toward any of these things let me know. Thanks again.

What God Did

As we start walking the journey of raising money to bring our next child home. I am caught between thoughts of trust and "flesh" thoughts. God brought me to the scriptures in Joshua chapter 4 last night. God commanded that the Isralelites take 12 stones from where they crossed the Jordan as a reminder of what God did. God reminded me that the 4 kids we have adopted are our stones.

Steps to the land of Moriah

God has been teaching us a lot in the past year. One thing that sticks out to me and something I feel Him teaching me partially right now is that faith is so much more than we realize. One of my good friends sent me this devotional from A Purpose Driven Life that talked about faith not being a feeling but action. More of the puzzle pieces begin to form. Hebrews 11 talks about faith and talks about the great cloud of witnesses and I am amazed at all of their stories. One story that God keeps bringing to my attention in this cloud of witnesses is Abraham and the time he was asked to sacrifice his son. Can you imagine being Abraham? God told him he would give him a son and make his descendants many. That was hard for Sarah and Abraham to believe as they had no children, and it seemed hopeless. I imagine they were saying (as I say to myself many times) "did we hear God right?" So they take matters into their own hands (been there) and it turns disastrous.....but God is merciful. And after much anticipation, fear, and uncertainty they have a son. What a wonderful feeling for them. Then God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son. At this point we see something different in Abraham. He doesn't take matters into his own hands. He just trusts and obeys (makes me want to break out into the old hymn, trust and obey for there is not other way....:) . All of Abraham's journeys have lead him to this point. (That means their is hope for me). He does what God calls him to do. We don't know if he had any doubts as he takes the long journey to the land of Moriah. Maybe he went back and forth like I do. Having moments of total "faith like a child" and doubting. At any rate it doesn't matter because bottom line is that he obeyed God. All his emotions did not matter at this point because he did what God asked him to do. And most of you know the rest of the story. God provides a ram for him to sacrifice. God was "testing" Abraham to see if he will be obedient. WOW. It seems like God wants the best from us. Not merely half, or what is comfortable. And it does take a sacrifice. All of that to say. God has us on a journey where we feel like He is calling us to step out and adopt again. You can bet I have asked God many times, "Did I hear you right?" "Are you sure?" This sure seems impossible, not to mention crazy. But then I am reminded of the God I serve. So maybe this journey is all about God telling us to do something when the outcome will be different like for Abraham? I do not know all the answers, I just know that I can not step out in faith because it doesn't seem practical to me. It will never seem practical. Ministering to the least of these is not practical. Living for God is not practical. Being a living sacrifice...there is nothing practical about that. I would rather be remembered as a "witness" to those around me that I walked by faith than someone who lived by fear, or practicality, or comfortableness, or emotions. I have a way to go. Pray with me on this journey.