Almost Home

Well we are counting down the days....that's right....no more months! We are so excited about getting in our new home. It's been almost 3 years that we've waited to build since we sold our last house. We are so blessed to be able to build this house and are very happy to know that we have made decisions and looked to God to direct our path on it. It's the first house we've done that way, this makes our third...having faith and looking to God, sure beats the other chaos!

So the next step with the adoption is having them come do the final home study once we are in and settled. Hopefully, that will happen maybe in May or June. It was 1 yr. ago in April that we officially began this journey. Boy, it's been a journey and we've not even made it to the fun part yet! But, God has worked so deeply in the whole process, we have learned and grown so much in our faith. So, there is not one regret at all. There's not one bit of anxious feelings because we know God is in control.

In reality....it looks a little dim. The whole adoption thing. My health is such a big question right now. The doctors say this and that....and we listen. We thank them for their ability and knowledge. But then we have to turn it over to God. We can't dwell on any of it. It's a little more real, yes, wearing the external difibulator, kinda hit home...that goodness, I really might need this becaues of what's going on. So, it's hard to deny it because it's right there. But, then I thank God for what he's doing and what he is doing in our lives. And, what He is going to do. I speak those words of faith. He says that the word is as sharp as any double edge sword! Now that is some powerful stuff. So daily I get worded up. Constantly, reciting verses or singing words to songs in my head. Most of the time out loud, boy I've had some funny looks in Wal Mart....because the Holy Spirit will just come over me. I'm thankful for His Word.

I think about being almost home, what that means....here on earth, we look to the 4 walls and the place we can rest and feel safe. I can't help but think of our heavenly home. All the loved ones that have gone on before. The beautiful songs that will be sung as we enter in....it will be beautiful and I can't wait to see His face. Won't it be wonderful there, having no burdens to bear, joyfully singing with heart bells all ringing, oh won't it be wonderful there. An old hymn that we sing. It will be wonderul, won't it!

Love

Just some thoughts on Cor. 13

Though I share with others the love of God and speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit but have not LOVE, not one person will believe me and know the true LOVE of God.

Though I understand and discern His word and have faith that can move mountains, but have not LOVE, I am nothing!

Though I help those less fortunate and give my time to good works, but have not LOVE, I have nothing.

LOVE suffers long,
LOVE is kind,
LOVE does not envy,
LOVE does not boast,
LOVE does not behave rudely,
LOVE does not keep a record of wrong doings,
LOVE bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Try putting your name in where LOVE is....Then step back and see if the statements are true.....

For a long time I've held on to anger and bitterness. I've had my little notepad in my head of the wrongs me/my family have suffered. And, it's been some suffering. Haven't we all suffered at the hands of fellow Christians, loved ones and friends. Haven't we each caused pain in anothers life? But, I think of our suffering and our sin. I think of His suffering and I realize that though my heart hurts and we've cried a thousand tears....God is Love. He forgives.

There is no place in the heart that LOVES God and receives His LOVE for anything but what Cor. 13 states. So then what....You forgive as He has forgiven. You LOVE as He has LOVED. Is it easy? No. Is this a commandment? Yes. Do we need to show obedience? Yes.

LOVE. This is My commandment, that YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER as I HAVE LOVED YOU. They will know you are my disciples if YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

So, I'll take a step forward today and I'll try and really grasp His amazing LOVE a little deeper and work on LOVING no matter what. Because really what are we all searching for? Acceptance, Love...feeling like we are cared for and if WE as Christians can't be that, NO MATTER WHAT, for this crazy world we live in...HOW WILL "THEY" EVER KNOW HIM?

Choices

So when you get some bad news or things don't go exactly like you planned, what do you do? Do you get upset and anxious? Or do you realize that God is in control? He knows it all. Do you realize that in this world we will have trials and tribulations? That it depends on our personal choice as to how we react to these trials.

He never leaves us or forsakes us. He is there as we walk through our valleys or experience our pain. Our choice is to look to him. Do not be discourage or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. If it's on the mountaintop or down in the valley, He is right there.

We have a choice. We can give up, we can be discouraged, we can think that this is how it is....OR We can stand strong on the Rock, we can Praise Him during the storm, We can be still and know He alone is God.

Thankful

I am so thankful for my Father's love. I'm so thankful that He was willing to give His Son so that I can have everlasting life! I'm so thankful that He loves even a sinner such as I. I think about all the times I've failed Him, denied Him, questioned Him and through it all- HE REMAINS THE SAME.

If he can lift me up out of the miry clay and turn beauty from my ashes. He can deliver us from anything! What makes you think He can save us from our sins, provide us eternal life...but not heal us, not give us the overflowing, abundant life He has promised us. I will never leave you or forsake you. Even though you walk through the valley, I AM with you. He rewards those that dilegently seek Him. Not just wish for the best, hope for the best, oh...still bad news, oh still this or that...and then give up. We must dilegently look for Him, believe in Him, perservere, endure....all those things that are hard. Why? Because we are a people of convenience. A people that want, what we want, RIGHT NOW!!! Wouldn't it be amazing if we could realize that He knows our every step, NOTHING surprises Him! No loss of job, no illness, no financial problem or marital issue...BUT He does want us to look to Him for the answer and the call to obedience. That's the hard part!

My prayer Father is that we all strive and endure and perserver and know YOU ALONE ARE GOD!!!

Questioning God.....

Have you ever had the rug pulled completely out from under you? Have you ever just been trotting right a long and then the horse bucks you completely off? Have you ever felt like you are so close to having your life just going completely like you dreamed and then boom, it all comes to a screeching halt?

I guess we all have had things happen that have made us question God. Wonder why is this happening. It's like it's been tough...and then we found You. We've believed in You and then how come? Why is this happening now? Our dreams are so close. We have the faith. We've seen it through Your eyes. This one thing could change it all.

So I cry and I cry and I'm scared and I want to scream. But deep down I feel You say, "I am here, Paige." So I trust, we have to trust....that You are Sovereign. That He that has begun a work will finish it. That somehow, even how scary and uncertain it may seem...somehow...we still have to have faith. That faith isn't built during all the good times, but in the fiery furnace and in the belly of the whale and when we face Goliath. That in this world we will have trials and tribulations but take joy in knowing HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD! PRAISE GOD, for Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.

So I will stand firm on my Rock, I will not be moved. I will say, "Devil, you are a liar!"- you have come to steal, kill and destroy but MY GOD has said I have come to give you Life and a Life more abundant. So no disease, no sickness, not one thing can come against my Rock and the fountain in which I drink of, My God is the My Rock and My salvation- NOTHING SHALL I FEAR!

So no matter what. I will keep walking in faith. I may feel like my brothers have sold me in to slavery, I may feel like there isn't one friend I can lean on, I may feel like our dreams are shattered. BUT I KNOW A GOD who turns water in to wine. Who can cause the Red Sea to stand up and part. Who can cause the blind to see and the lame to walk. I have a God that Healeth Thee! So instead of fear and loneliness. I choose PEACE and JOY and LOVE and LONGSUFFERING and PATIENCE....My God will supply everything I need.

Is there anything too big for God?

Do you believe that God cares enough to take care of all of your needs? Don't you know the desires He has placed on your heart, he is ready to have come to pass. He wants to give us the desires of our heart! We must do one thing and that's believe and praise Him. Not just praise Him once it happens but praise Him before you see anything! Praise precedes the victory!

Is there something that you've been believing for? Did God place something on your heart that you tell yourself there's no way? Do you have a desire or dream that died years ago and you think well it's too late? Stand up today and know there is nothing too big for God! Don't think about what didn't happen, or what you didn't do. Look to Him and he will give you new dreams or renew the dream that died. Speak words of faith and know that with God all things are possible!

Acting in Faith

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. One of my favorite verses. I'll have to just say "it is written" cause I can never remember book, chapter and verse....

Today we went and picked out colors for the house. Of course, her room is pink. Not a bright pink or rosy pink, just a soft pink. Preparing, believing, seeing in our spiritual eyes that's what we have to do. In the natural it may seem like nothing is there but we serve a God who provides! Last night I lay in bed thinking about her. I do that quite often. Wondering when she'll be here, how it will happen, all that....it's not like the typical "pregnancy wait" knowing you will deliver in 9 months, go to hospital, all that....This is like up in the air, completely running on faith. You know what though? It's all good because I know God is in control. It's really helped us in our walk with Him. Putting all our trust in Him in all we do. It's hard and we are learning every day but I'm so glad we are learning and not stuck where we were.

Patience, I think that's probably the biggest thing. You can be joyful, loving, even peaceful pretty easy....but boy that patience thing, that's a doosey for us! So it may not be tomorrow, it may not be next month....but we know His plan is in motion. That's the most reassuring thing we could ever know. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path! Can't get any better than that!