So my friends here in town have a little boy that is ready to come home with them. They've met him twice now and are just waiting on the whole process to be complete. It's been almost 2 years for them and now it's happening. I can't imagine the joy they must feel. I can't wait till they are actually able to bring him into their home and give him the family he deserves. It is reassuring to know that it can actually happen and that you can get through the whole thing....
Pray for this family. Pray for God to show favor in these final days. Pray for complete comfort for the "new addition", that God just shows him that he belongs exactly where he is supposed to be. Praise God. He is good. Praise God for families like this that are willing to open their heart to give a child a home that he could only dream of. You know these adopted kids are spoiled rotten.....I can say that since I am one of them! :) It's a unique feeling to know that you were "chosen", that you were wanted so desperately.
Thank you God for opening our hearts to the "true heart of adoption." I pray that many more in this world pray for guidance if they have any notion of the idea of adopting. Pray for all the families out there that are going through this process, pray that they look to Him for their guidance, for the strength that they need to endure the journey and know that in the end God's glory will be revealed. It's scary but if you feel it in your heart. God will lead you. Let him.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Adoption update
Many have asked where we stand on the adoption process. Well, it's a slow right now. Money is very tight and I believe that God did not intend for this process to be taxing on our financial situation. So with never ending faith, we choose to remain patient and hopeful. I've got most of the paperwork complete though Clinton has not had time to finish his autobiographical information. It will get done and the timing will be just right. Please continue to pray for us. Even though my faith is strong, my mind is weak. The devil every day seems to creep right in and tell me how I should just give up.
The boys had moved into one room together before the home visit to open a room up for "Anna Faye". The other day they were fighting and I had decided that I had enough. So I told them that Seth was moving back into the other room. They got extremely upset and begged and pleaded...they said they were sorry and that they would do better that we couldn't move Seth back in there because it was her room. At a weak point I said, "I don't think we can do this boys. I don't think we can do this adoption." Tears flowing at that point, I knew my heart didn't want to say it. I went into the kitchen and washed dishes and walked back down the hall. I noticed a piece of paper taped to the door into that room. My little Seth had written, "Anna Fyae Evans Room", tears came to my eyes. God is good. He will make a way. With faith we press on.
One of my favorite most insipring verses is Matt. 21:22 "You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.". Walking in faith, knowing my God is a Mighty God. Everything in this world is telling us we can't do it, many people even feel like they need to tell us we shouldn't do it, but they don't know what we know. They must not understand the God that I serve, is the God that prepared me in advance to do this!
The boys had moved into one room together before the home visit to open a room up for "Anna Faye". The other day they were fighting and I had decided that I had enough. So I told them that Seth was moving back into the other room. They got extremely upset and begged and pleaded...they said they were sorry and that they would do better that we couldn't move Seth back in there because it was her room. At a weak point I said, "I don't think we can do this boys. I don't think we can do this adoption." Tears flowing at that point, I knew my heart didn't want to say it. I went into the kitchen and washed dishes and walked back down the hall. I noticed a piece of paper taped to the door into that room. My little Seth had written, "Anna Fyae Evans Room", tears came to my eyes. God is good. He will make a way. With faith we press on.
One of my favorite most insipring verses is Matt. 21:22 "You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.". Walking in faith, knowing my God is a Mighty God. Everything in this world is telling us we can't do it, many people even feel like they need to tell us we shouldn't do it, but they don't know what we know. They must not understand the God that I serve, is the God that prepared me in advance to do this!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Crossover Christian Festival
Crossover Christian Festival 2008. Seth, Austin, Matthew (Austin's friend) and I set out at about 1 on Fri. to attend our first ever Crossover Christian Festival. We drove through rain, lighting, thunder, waters rolling....but we made it and with God's ever changing hand, the clouds cleared, the rain stopped and the skies were clear! We enjoyed music by a lot of good artist. Barlowgirl, Building 429, some rapper guy (can't remember his name, but he was good...) last but not least one of our favorite Christian bands Skillet! They rocked! We all had a great time! After about 7 hours of rockin', we were on our way home. After about an hour in to the trip home, the kids crashed and I just had some quiet time. No radio, no talking, just me and God. Some things became quite clear.
We have to live each moment. We can't take one minute for granted. While head banging with my kids, I didn't have one thought about bills, cleaning house, anything....it was just me and them. What a great memory. Grant it....some of the music was really loud and though I'm only 35....maybe a little crazy for momma to head bang to, but you know what it was fun. WHY? you ask...because I was with my kids and we were there praising God. Through the drums, through the electric guitar, even through the head banging- God was right there. How many times have you missed out on a moment? Either because you refused to do something new or the fact that you may have done it but you didn't totally submerse yourself into what it was. God calls us to daily be renewed, refreshed. Renewal, refreshment you have to love those words. He offers them...I'm not saying just totally go crazy...but try something different, drive a new route to work, talk to new people, listen to different music.
Barlowgirl! Love em... They are a band of 3 sisters and the girls can rock! Not only that they are so genuine about their love for God. One thing that came to me is how everyone is pretty good about "doing religion"....you know showing up at church when the doors are open, reciting bible verses, etc....but what about God, what about the Holy Spirit...what about Mon, Tues, Wed, you know....all those days besides Sunday. How good are we at "doing a relationship with God!"? One of the girls recited something out of a book she had read about the Nazi concentration camp. On one of the walls it was written, "I believe in the sun, even though it's not shining. I believe in love, even though I don't feel it. I believe in God, even when He is silent." They wrote a song with these words. Say them to yourself. It can make you have a whole different perspective on our God. Just imagine the person that wrote these words, what they were going through, what they knew was in store for them. Then look at where you are today. Look at all your blessings, even look at your hard times. But know that even though He may be silent, He is with you. He will never leave you. "Be not afraid for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." It's easy to get caught up in "religion". Relationships don't come easy. You have to work on them. I bet, sitting in that cell that person had quite a bit of time to work on their relationship with God. Take time today, tomorrow, every day....show your God that you care enough to give Him more than Sunday.
God is good.
We have to live each moment. We can't take one minute for granted. While head banging with my kids, I didn't have one thought about bills, cleaning house, anything....it was just me and them. What a great memory. Grant it....some of the music was really loud and though I'm only 35....maybe a little crazy for momma to head bang to, but you know what it was fun. WHY? you ask...because I was with my kids and we were there praising God. Through the drums, through the electric guitar, even through the head banging- God was right there. How many times have you missed out on a moment? Either because you refused to do something new or the fact that you may have done it but you didn't totally submerse yourself into what it was. God calls us to daily be renewed, refreshed. Renewal, refreshment you have to love those words. He offers them...I'm not saying just totally go crazy...but try something different, drive a new route to work, talk to new people, listen to different music.
Barlowgirl! Love em... They are a band of 3 sisters and the girls can rock! Not only that they are so genuine about their love for God. One thing that came to me is how everyone is pretty good about "doing religion"....you know showing up at church when the doors are open, reciting bible verses, etc....but what about God, what about the Holy Spirit...what about Mon, Tues, Wed, you know....all those days besides Sunday. How good are we at "doing a relationship with God!"? One of the girls recited something out of a book she had read about the Nazi concentration camp. On one of the walls it was written, "I believe in the sun, even though it's not shining. I believe in love, even though I don't feel it. I believe in God, even when He is silent." They wrote a song with these words. Say them to yourself. It can make you have a whole different perspective on our God. Just imagine the person that wrote these words, what they were going through, what they knew was in store for them. Then look at where you are today. Look at all your blessings, even look at your hard times. But know that even though He may be silent, He is with you. He will never leave you. "Be not afraid for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." It's easy to get caught up in "religion". Relationships don't come easy. You have to work on them. I bet, sitting in that cell that person had quite a bit of time to work on their relationship with God. Take time today, tomorrow, every day....show your God that you care enough to give Him more than Sunday.
God is good.
Friday, June 6, 2008
How much are you willing to take for Me?
You know those days that you just wonder...why is this happening? It's like you are trying your hardest to live for Him, to look to Him in all you do. But life happens....either a situation with family, friends, work...just stuff begins to really get you down. No matter how difficult it might be, you have to look to Him. The author and finisher or our faith. You can't question the situation. You want to oh..you want to...but what good does that do but satisfy your fleshly need to become a right fighter, or whatever thing it might be to make "YOU" feel better. I know I've caught myself many times feeling sorry for myself, or wondering why does so and so not like me, or why am I enduring allt his pain but when I go to Him it always becomes quite clear that it's not about me, it's all about Him. It's when my mind turns to my thoughts, my feelings that I begin to really doubt who and what I am.
Things are tough right now...many things have happened in the last few weeks that have really caused me to doubt my Lord. For that I am sorry because I know that even when I doubt Him he still loves me. Really, for years I let my mind really control my whole life. What people thought of me, I even caught myself agreeing with things just to fit in, getting caught up in the latest gossip...all that stuff...that the world is so full of. I found my life being all about me and just about Him when I needed Him. Over the past year, it's become quite clear that serving Him is all about daily dying to self and living for Him- alone. Boy, is that hard sometimes!
Situations happen that we just don't understand, people disappoint us, things happen that aren't comfortable, you almost get to the point of how much more can I take? Then I realize that He only puts on us what we can bear. It's like when you begin to train for a race. You can't expect to just start out running 5 miles. But with each day, with each time you go out, you can withstand more. I think God kinda works in the same way sometimes. He gets us ready for our race...it begins with that alone time, then we draw closer as we begin to worship Him, we find Him so close to us during our prayer time. Then things begin to spin in motion. The training for the race begins. With each milestone we see that "we" (he and I) can do it. Then the next time out we can run a little longer even endure a little heat or a slight hill, it's not so hard. There may be times that we begin to slack and we have to go back to a little in the training.....maybe we aren't doing what he's called us to do, or we've denied Him when we shouldn't, or the sin in our life has taken over. But all we have to do is step back up and begin to run. He doesn't kick us out of the race completely. He lets us back in right where we belong. Then what do you know we're up to the 5 mile marker and aren't even breathing hard.
Then you hear him say, "How much more are you willing to take for Me?" That's hard because this race isn't comfortable. 9 times out of 10, it's really hard. It's like oh my goodness....I just got conditioned for the 5 mile run, now you want more from me. Can't we just get the blessings right here at the 5 mile marker. Haven't I shown you how much I love you. Then I hear him say again, "how much more are you willing to take for Me?" That's what I've come to really praise and thank Him for, the hard times because without them I wouldn't know Him. We say we want Him, we say that we are looking to serve Him alone, but how many times have we let our own pride, judgement, acceptance, you know all that stuff.... stand in our way of really walking with Him. Most times, I take it all over. I make the call that I regret, I say the stuff that isn't for His glory but for my satisfaction, I have ill feelings towards something or someone because they hurt my feelings....I take it over. That's when the problem begins. It takes you over. The only way is His way. If you live for Him and truly do His work then you don't have to worry because he says that, "No weaponed formed against us shall pass." If we are living for Him and not for ourselves, then we must believe that. We must pick our feelings up off the floor and throw them out the door. We must not sit in self pity and drown in our own sorrow. For God is good. He calls us Friend.
Thinking back to all the things Jesus endured while on this Earth...my problems, my situations, are nothing. Though they may be uncomfortable or even bad stuff, at times....I know that my God has already endured the pain for me.
Lord, I pray that you continue to make me a Mighty Warrior for you. Everyday let me suit up with the breast plate of righteousness, the helmet of salavation, the sword of the Spirit and shoes of peace that you have provided for me! Cover me with with your grace and mercy. I am weak but in my weakness you are strong! Praise God! My only desire Lord is to please you. Let my troubles and trials be released and I choose to rest in Your goodness. Thank you Lord for being our Saviour!
Things are tough right now...many things have happened in the last few weeks that have really caused me to doubt my Lord. For that I am sorry because I know that even when I doubt Him he still loves me. Really, for years I let my mind really control my whole life. What people thought of me, I even caught myself agreeing with things just to fit in, getting caught up in the latest gossip...all that stuff...that the world is so full of. I found my life being all about me and just about Him when I needed Him. Over the past year, it's become quite clear that serving Him is all about daily dying to self and living for Him- alone. Boy, is that hard sometimes!
Situations happen that we just don't understand, people disappoint us, things happen that aren't comfortable, you almost get to the point of how much more can I take? Then I realize that He only puts on us what we can bear. It's like when you begin to train for a race. You can't expect to just start out running 5 miles. But with each day, with each time you go out, you can withstand more. I think God kinda works in the same way sometimes. He gets us ready for our race...it begins with that alone time, then we draw closer as we begin to worship Him, we find Him so close to us during our prayer time. Then things begin to spin in motion. The training for the race begins. With each milestone we see that "we" (he and I) can do it. Then the next time out we can run a little longer even endure a little heat or a slight hill, it's not so hard. There may be times that we begin to slack and we have to go back to a little in the training.....maybe we aren't doing what he's called us to do, or we've denied Him when we shouldn't, or the sin in our life has taken over. But all we have to do is step back up and begin to run. He doesn't kick us out of the race completely. He lets us back in right where we belong. Then what do you know we're up to the 5 mile marker and aren't even breathing hard.
Then you hear him say, "How much more are you willing to take for Me?" That's hard because this race isn't comfortable. 9 times out of 10, it's really hard. It's like oh my goodness....I just got conditioned for the 5 mile run, now you want more from me. Can't we just get the blessings right here at the 5 mile marker. Haven't I shown you how much I love you. Then I hear him say again, "how much more are you willing to take for Me?" That's what I've come to really praise and thank Him for, the hard times because without them I wouldn't know Him. We say we want Him, we say that we are looking to serve Him alone, but how many times have we let our own pride, judgement, acceptance, you know all that stuff.... stand in our way of really walking with Him. Most times, I take it all over. I make the call that I regret, I say the stuff that isn't for His glory but for my satisfaction, I have ill feelings towards something or someone because they hurt my feelings....I take it over. That's when the problem begins. It takes you over. The only way is His way. If you live for Him and truly do His work then you don't have to worry because he says that, "No weaponed formed against us shall pass." If we are living for Him and not for ourselves, then we must believe that. We must pick our feelings up off the floor and throw them out the door. We must not sit in self pity and drown in our own sorrow. For God is good. He calls us Friend.
Thinking back to all the things Jesus endured while on this Earth...my problems, my situations, are nothing. Though they may be uncomfortable or even bad stuff, at times....I know that my God has already endured the pain for me.
Lord, I pray that you continue to make me a Mighty Warrior for you. Everyday let me suit up with the breast plate of righteousness, the helmet of salavation, the sword of the Spirit and shoes of peace that you have provided for me! Cover me with with your grace and mercy. I am weak but in my weakness you are strong! Praise God! My only desire Lord is to please you. Let my troubles and trials be released and I choose to rest in Your goodness. Thank you Lord for being our Saviour!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Believe
Believe for....the best even when times are tough.
Believe for....His glory even when things seem dark.
Believe for....tomorrow to be even better than today.
Believe for....His complete love rather than judgment.
Believe for....obedience in His way rather than our way.
Believe for....the one day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
God is good.
Believe for....His glory even when things seem dark.
Believe for....tomorrow to be even better than today.
Believe for....His complete love rather than judgment.
Believe for....obedience in His way rather than our way.
Believe for....the one day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
God is good.
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