Spiritual Warfare

As we move forward with what we feel the Lord is leading us to do, we realize that because we are doing God's work, we are going to be fighting a spiritual battle.  Spiritual Warfare is a very real thing and in order to fight it, we must stand strong in the Lord because the battle is His.  Every day I must remind myself to put on God's Armor so that we can stand against evil. 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 6:10-12

I take comfort in knowing that all we have to do is put on the full armor of God to fight a battle that seems so difficult to fight on our own.  I am constantly reminded that God will take care of the details, but I must believe.  A friend of mine reminded me that we must prepare our fields if we believe the rain will come.  She put this on her blog; which is from Facing the Giants. 

The older teacher tells the coach something like this:  "Two farmers are in need of rain and they each pray to God to send it.  Only one farmer goes out to prepare his fields to receive the rain.  Which one do you think believes God will send the rain?"  Coach answers:  "The one who prepared his fields."  Teacher:  "God will send the rains when He's ready.  You need to make sure you're ready to receive it."

We are definitely out preparing our fields because we believe that God will send the rain!

We are so very exciting that through all of the trials, we can see God's hand at work!!  We are required to take Sasha to the dentist and to the eye doctor while he is here.  My friend, Dr. Tina Goodall, is taking care of his dental needs, so we are very thankful to her!  However, I still needed someone to take care of his eye exam (and glasses, if needed).  So, I sent a request out to our CCS Group for an optometrist that would be willing to donate his services for Sasha.  There were FOUR doctors that were willing to donate their services!!  Yes...FOUR!!  I was overwhelmed by all of the responses that we received.  I even had people email me and just tell me that they read my blog or that they were praying for us.  We are very blessed that Dr. Jeff Stikeleather will be taking care of Sasha's eye care needs.  Also, due to the overwhelming response, I have two other friends that are hosting orphans and I have their children's eye care needs met, as well.

We are fighting a battle just to determine if Sasha is even adoptable.  However, yesterday I finally received a very encouraging email.  It was from adoption agency #6 and she wrote:  "At this time, we are only able to check the child's status through the federal databank for children.  It appears that he is legally available for international adoption according to the information in the databank.  (There is a child with the same first names, first initial of the last name and month and year of birth)"  That is the closest we have gotten to finding out he is adoptable in the past two weeks!!  It's not a guarantee but it's Hope.  So, although the world tells us that Russia is too corrupt, that Russia is too expensive, that Russia requires too much paperwork, that the region Sasha lives is too difficult, etc., etc., we are going to continue to prepare our fields for the rain that we are expecting.  We are not living by the world's standards but we are living by God's standards.  And I do believe that my God is bigger than what the world is telling us is the impossible.  According to James, we have not because we ask not.  Of course, our motives for asking must line up with His Will but if they do, then we just need to ask.

You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  James 4:2b-3

Thank you for following our blog and please continue to pray for us as we fight this battle that is so worth fighting.  This is a life at stake.