Sweet GoodByes....

Two weeks ago Steve and I were blessed to bring a beautiful newborn into our home to love for as long as God would allow us to love her.   I can’t share details of this private placement, I wish I could because there is always beauty in God’s stories.  The most amazing part of this journey is how God equips you for what he has called you to do for Him.  ”God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life.”  Psalm 54:4  That promise we hold on to because exactly two weeks after bringing this precious baby into our home we received the call that she would be going home. As much as we, in our flesh, would love to hold her and love her forever….His plans are different. His plans are always perfect even if those plans are not our plans….even when it is painful. Our hearts are comforted knowing she will be loved and cared for by her family and by her heavenly Father.  He will watch over her and He will protect her always.  Praying the time we spent with her birthmother has made a difference, praying a seed planted but we may never know.  The story is already written and it isn’t ours to understand only to trust and rest in Him.

“Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it. Ecclesiastes 8:17

As I packed her clothes Friday evening tears began to roll down my cheeks. As quickly  as she entered our lives she was leaving. I held her tighter and loved her more deeply as she woke up during the night that last night knowing it would be for the last time. As I fed her tears once again began to filled my eyes  as they do now as I attempt to keep writing through tears that are less today than they were the day before. I wasn’t expecting the flood of emotions that I have gone through. I know that many children will enter our door and the inevitable goodbyes will come many, many times.  Our first instinct is to guard our hearts…but what good would we be if we did that? No, the children coming into our family will be loved with our whole heart no matter the cost, just as God has loved us.  He has loved us and saved us at great cost to Himself.  The love we give to others should be no less than the love given to us by our Father.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8  Never did I think that in two short weeks I could fall in love so completely. The heart is amazing and  the ability God has given us to love is truly a gift. “No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:12 

The Next Step...

Life has been C.R.A.Z.Y as our journey into fostercare continues!!  My head is still spinning from the flurry of activity that has occured physically and mentally this last week as God, being God, decided to give us our first placement in an unexpected way and an unexpected time....TODAY!  As this new journey begins we are trusting because we know every detail has been worked out by our gracious, loving God who has taken us from our once comfortable "Christian life" and put us on what feels like a roller coaster ride that at times seems to be completely out of control...to us but never to Him.
"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:6

The most amazing part of this journey into fostercare is how God has accomplished His plan and we have held on for the wild ride, taking one day at a time....complaining the whole way because we didn't feel "our plan" was working out like WE had PLANNED! I really just have to laugh sometimes as I look back over the last 8 weeks and see how GOD has accomplished His plan despite US!  Our PATH classes ended, in April,since then it has been non-stop activity. Our garage is now a bedroom for our 16y/o son. His old room, in the middle of the house, will now be for our future foster kids.  I am grateful for a husband that can do just about anything. He has worked incredibly hard for weeks.  God has given him incredible energy and strength to accomplish all that he has accomplished in a short amount of time.

God has provided every step of the way in this journey.... the glory is all HIS. It certainly hasn't been good planning and organization on our part! As the room neared completion last week we received the call from DCS to begin our homestudy! Praise the Lord...just what we had been waiting for! AND we received another call, the unexpected one which would begin our journey unexpectedly....only God!! In one week I was able to complete ALL homestudy paperwork for DCS because, of course, I did none of it until I knew they were coming! We also had to update our homestudy for our adoption agency!  It's only possible by the grace of God because when you are walking in obedience God prepares a way for you. He provides everything you need just when you need it. Not sooner...not later...His perfect timing we can count on! Why in our flesh don't we just "get that"? Why don't we just rest in Him...He is faithful until the very end!
 If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 1 Kings 11:38

Our "dynasty" awaits us. The life we thought we had planned is now a distant memory. And the life God has planned for our remaining days on this earth is just beginning. To be a light in the darkness for children and families that can't see a way out of their circumstances.. that is our life now. Praying that somehow they can see Jesus in us as we love them and their children.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

As our journey begins we trust...because we KNOW God has gone before us in everything that is coming our way. He will provide for us every step of the way. He will protect and prepare our hearts as we encounter what is unknown to us. We are forever grateful He has given us hearts to love others more than we love our "stuff" and this life. The roller coaster is so much better! :)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Blessings...