"Come" answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus." Matthew 14:29
A devotion from Rick Warren that I read last week talked about how Peter stepped out of the storm-tossed boat and for a moment got a glimpse of what trusting in his Father was. Warren went on to say that as we step out of our own apparent insecurity we see that following Jesus is the way that we find our true security.
It spoke to me loudly. The last few weeks have been filled with some doubt and insecurity. Getting through adoption paperwork has been hard at times. Reading more and more about the loss that every child that is adopted goes through breaks my heart. Hearing life stories from friends that are grieving the loss of biological parents makes me so sad. I wonder why any child has to go through this hard place. This world is such a hard place.
As I was driving home from bringing my daughter to tennis a song came on the radio.
I WILL LIFT MY EYES
By Bebo Norman
God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near calm my fear and take my doubt
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in
I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You
God, my God, let mercy sing
her melody over me
and God, right here all I bring
is all of me
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in
'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
the Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
so hold me now
God reminded so gently, that I am His beloved. My husband is his beloved. My biological children are His beloved and the child that I hold in my heart for now is His beloved. God has everything under control.
When I got home, I searched my bible to find a verse about what the Lord has to say about His beloved. The verse I looked up was Deuteronomy 33:12. It says, "About Benjamin he said: Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders." I will hang on to that promise. I am so thankful that God does shield me and my family. I can rest secure in Him- right between His shoulders is an awesome place to be.
But, as I was reading this I needed to look up who Benjamin was. I had forgotten. So, I turned to Genesis 35:16. The subtitle of the verse hit me hard. "Death of Rachel, birth of Benjamin."
Genesis 35:16-18 "Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you have another son." 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. [a] But his father named him Benjamin."
Rachel in the bible died giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. Now, I am not worried that I am going to physically die. The Lord has shown me that I need to die to myself - and that is a daily thing. I need to let God be the one that controls my life. After all, He has much more beautiful plans for my life than I could ever dream up. I will adopt God's dreams. Bebo Norman's album with the song "I will lift my eyes" on is entitled "Between the dreaming and the coming true". I can't wait to continue to watch God's dreams come true.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Abba Father - "Daddy"
I just had a week of precious time spent with my family. My husband, our kids, my brother and sister-in-law and my mom and dad spent the 4th of July week at my dad and mom's new cabin they are building. It was so much fun!
I love spending time with my Dad and Mom. My mom is an encouragement to me. She has shown me what love is in many ways. I remember when I was pregnant and in labor with our first child, one of the things that I was feeling was ... I just want my mom. I'm not sure what she could do at that point, but just having a mother's heart close is a comfort. She will always hold a very special place in my heart and I love her so much.
As the days were passing this week and now especially since I have been home I have been thinking particularly about Dad's. I love my daddy. Even though I'm now an adult, married with children of my own, he is still my daddy. He has shown me unconditional love. He has shown me what it means to feel safe and protected. He has always taken care of me and I know he always will.
I went to the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit that was held in MN this last April. Peder Eide lead worship one of the days. He lead us in singing "Abba I belong to you" as we raised our hands as if we were asking our daddy to pick us up.
The lyrics are:
Abba I belong to You,
I belong to You.
Abba Father.
Abba I belong to You,
I belong to You.
Abba Father God.
I kneel now,
And feel how I've felt here before.
This pausing,
Is causing my heart to explore.
Why when I'm weary so often you seem far away,
Still I will say.
I do realize that I am blessed to have a daddy here on earth that has shown me love and protected me. It saddens me to think about all the children on this earth that can not say the same, for whatever reason their daddy here on earth is unable to care for them.
That is when Peter Eide's song started playing in my heart. We belong to a Father that loves us so much. So much that He was willing to send His son to die on a cross for us so that we can have eternal life with Him. Abba Father - "daddy". It is my prayer that all the children that are "Fatherless" here on earth will feel the awesome presence of their Abba Father - "daddy" they belong to.
I love watching our five kids with my husband. The daddy in our house is fun and spontaneous. Our kids love to play with him. It has been a blessing to see the love he has for his kids as we journey through life. It will also be a blessing to see love grow between our child that we bring home from Ethiopia and his or her daddy.
It saddens me that adoption starts in a place of hurt for each child. I can not wait to meet the child that God has picked out to be part of our family and watch how God can redeem that place of hurt. And, as we continue down this journey to our child, I want to continue to live the words of Isaiah 1:17. "Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless"
I love spending time with my Dad and Mom. My mom is an encouragement to me. She has shown me what love is in many ways. I remember when I was pregnant and in labor with our first child, one of the things that I was feeling was ... I just want my mom. I'm not sure what she could do at that point, but just having a mother's heart close is a comfort. She will always hold a very special place in my heart and I love her so much.
As the days were passing this week and now especially since I have been home I have been thinking particularly about Dad's. I love my daddy. Even though I'm now an adult, married with children of my own, he is still my daddy. He has shown me unconditional love. He has shown me what it means to feel safe and protected. He has always taken care of me and I know he always will.
I went to the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit that was held in MN this last April. Peder Eide lead worship one of the days. He lead us in singing "Abba I belong to you" as we raised our hands as if we were asking our daddy to pick us up.
The lyrics are:
Abba I belong to You,
I belong to You.
Abba Father.
Abba I belong to You,
I belong to You.
Abba Father God.
I kneel now,
And feel how I've felt here before.
This pausing,
Is causing my heart to explore.
Why when I'm weary so often you seem far away,
Still I will say.
I do realize that I am blessed to have a daddy here on earth that has shown me love and protected me. It saddens me to think about all the children on this earth that can not say the same, for whatever reason their daddy here on earth is unable to care for them.
That is when Peter Eide's song started playing in my heart. We belong to a Father that loves us so much. So much that He was willing to send His son to die on a cross for us so that we can have eternal life with Him. Abba Father - "daddy". It is my prayer that all the children that are "Fatherless" here on earth will feel the awesome presence of their Abba Father - "daddy" they belong to.
I love watching our five kids with my husband. The daddy in our house is fun and spontaneous. Our kids love to play with him. It has been a blessing to see the love he has for his kids as we journey through life. It will also be a blessing to see love grow between our child that we bring home from Ethiopia and his or her daddy.
It saddens me that adoption starts in a place of hurt for each child. I can not wait to meet the child that God has picked out to be part of our family and watch how God can redeem that place of hurt. And, as we continue down this journey to our child, I want to continue to live the words of Isaiah 1:17. "Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless"
Friday, July 9, 2010
Drawn From Water T Shirts
Over the last year we have been following an organization called Drawn from Water. We have been given the opportunity to watch God work out a way for us to help the mission of Drawn From Water. If you don't already know their story, please go to the Drawn From Water website to learn more.
In short, DFW rescues children from tribes who face the death penalty because of superstitious tribal practices. DFW now runs an orphanage for the children they have rescued and continue their rescuing efforts. A few of the children have already been placed with their forever adoptive families. They currently care for more than 20 children in their orphanage.
The first children were literally rescued from the very same river where they would have been drowned, which is how they chose the name, Drawn from Water.
Now for the first time, they are offering T-shirts for sale!!
The T-shirt is the outline of Africa with "It Began with Bale", the first child rescued, at the top of the continent, followed by the next 8 children rescued after Bale.
Take a Look at what God has done by checking out the new on-line store and the new T-shirts!! They are very cool!! The shirts are only $23, which includes shipping in the U.S.!! Buy one of each color for yourself. Buy one of each color for your spouse. Buy them as gifts for friends and family.
Please join me and help spread awareness of this organization by posting this on your blogs, Facebooks or any other way you prefer to communicate on-line. 100% of the profits will go to DFW and towards their efforts to rescue children!!
Go visit the store to learn all the details.
They offer the shirt in two brilliant colors:
Caribbean Blue
Smoke Grey
Save this site in your favorites or link it to your blog. There are more items coming to the store soon!
In short, DFW rescues children from tribes who face the death penalty because of superstitious tribal practices. DFW now runs an orphanage for the children they have rescued and continue their rescuing efforts. A few of the children have already been placed with their forever adoptive families. They currently care for more than 20 children in their orphanage.
The first children were literally rescued from the very same river where they would have been drowned, which is how they chose the name, Drawn from Water.
Now for the first time, they are offering T-shirts for sale!!
The T-shirt is the outline of Africa with "It Began with Bale", the first child rescued, at the top of the continent, followed by the next 8 children rescued after Bale.
Take a Look at what God has done by checking out the new on-line store and the new T-shirts!! They are very cool!! The shirts are only $23, which includes shipping in the U.S.!! Buy one of each color for yourself. Buy one of each color for your spouse. Buy them as gifts for friends and family.
Please join me and help spread awareness of this organization by posting this on your blogs, Facebooks or any other way you prefer to communicate on-line. 100% of the profits will go to DFW and towards their efforts to rescue children!!
Go visit the store to learn all the details.
They offer the shirt in two brilliant colors:
Caribbean Blue
Smoke Grey
Save this site in your favorites or link it to your blog. There are more items coming to the store soon!
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