My heart is heavy, my patience is being tested daily, my will is being worn thin but I am constantly reminded the God is in control. Seems contradictory, I know. Yet, it isn't. I am human and I allow things to get to me...I get angry at the Ukrainian Government, I get frustrated at the lack of humanity for these children and I feel that I have every right to be angry....my anger is against the sin that is happening against these children...against God. So, I continue to trust and wait upon the Lord.
Seems as though, so often lately, when I am deep in thought or prayer about these children or maybe when I am posting something about them, or maybe when I am sending an email to someone about them, The Lord reminds me that He is in control and to just trust him. Tonight I was reading something about Orphans, thinking so deeply about the kids and had just finished writing to a friend about the current status of waiting when I opened my email and found this snippet of a devotional awaiting to be opened:
A Light Burden?
Hey, you got something heavy weighing on your shoulders? Why don't you give it to God?
Matthew 11:29-30
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
See, God doesn't require more than his grace can cover. If you need rest, just ask for it.
So you see....just when I was finished writing about the kids and it was weighing heavy on my heart, I hear the Lord speak to me and tell me to give it to Him.
Even better than that....on Monday, I was writing something about the kids on an adoption group that I belong to. Nothing too in depth, just something that got me thinking about them and feeling them heavy on my heart, realizing that what we have gotten into is probably too far to fetch. Then, I open my email and find this snippet of a devotional:
Don't Give Up
You can't give up! You might want to. It might be the easiest thing. The most tempting. The safest. But it's not worth it.
Matthew 7:7-8
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
Ask, seek, knock! Don't give up.
Well.....I can't help but feel like the Lord has been telling me this week, "Don't give up. Ask and you will receive the desires of your heart. However, you have to trust me and give me the burden".
Then, I am constantly hearing the song, "All of Me" from Matt Hammitt. In this song, he talks about giving all of himself, even if it hurts.
Seems as though, so often lately, when I am deep in thought or prayer about these children or maybe when I am posting something about them, or maybe when I am sending an email to someone about them, The Lord reminds me that He is in control and to just trust him. Tonight I was reading something about Orphans, thinking so deeply about the kids and had just finished writing to a friend about the current status of waiting when I opened my email and found this snippet of a devotional awaiting to be opened:
A Light Burden?
Hey, you got something heavy weighing on your shoulders? Why don't you give it to God?
Matthew 11:29-30
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
See, God doesn't require more than his grace can cover. If you need rest, just ask for it.
So you see....just when I was finished writing about the kids and it was weighing heavy on my heart, I hear the Lord speak to me and tell me to give it to Him.
Even better than that....on Monday, I was writing something about the kids on an adoption group that I belong to. Nothing too in depth, just something that got me thinking about them and feeling them heavy on my heart, realizing that what we have gotten into is probably too far to fetch. Then, I open my email and find this snippet of a devotional:
Don't Give Up
You can't give up! You might want to. It might be the easiest thing. The most tempting. The safest. But it's not worth it.
Matthew 7:7-8
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
Ask, seek, knock! Don't give up.
Well.....I can't help but feel like the Lord has been telling me this week, "Don't give up. Ask and you will receive the desires of your heart. However, you have to trust me and give me the burden".
Then, I am constantly hearing the song, "All of Me" from Matt Hammitt. In this song, he talks about giving all of himself, even if it hurts.
The easiest thing for me to do would be to give up, to not love for fear of getting hurt and to just be heavy with a burden that I never turn over to the One I should trust the Most. However, that is not what I want to do. I will not give up. I will continue to fight for these children and if the Lord will place them in our family, then we will love them and raise them up to know Him. However, if He won't place them in our family, we will still love them, pray for them and do what we can to point them to Him. Will you please pray that the Lord moves in the hearts of those that are blocking the way to adoption or close the doors, if that is not His will.
This is the first picture we ever saw of Lidiya
The devotionals that I received in my email are from www.gotandem.com.
We love you guys! Your dedication and humbleness to the Lord through all the high's and low's has been awesome to witness. I am so glad you came to talk to me that day at the womans retreat little did I know what God had planned for our friendship. You all are a blessing to us. All the way to our bonding moment peeing in the dark in the trees in Ukraine with puppies stealing our toilet paper! Good times! We are praying for ya and the kids. Again we know the Lord has BIG plans for ya all. If I knew I'd tell ya but I am not a profit. Lol! But I know they are BIG!
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