This is one of those blog posts that I just need to write, just to get off my chest, but tomorrow when I re-read it, I will probably feel really weird about what I just wrote. Oh well. Tis life.
Let me start by saying that I believe this verse to be true:
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Mt. 7: 11)
I realize this verse is NOT SAYING, "God will give us whatever we ask for."
Rather, this verse IS SAYING, "God will give us what is GOOD, what is BEST for His great glory, what most brings about His fame and our delight in Him."
Therefore, sometimes we DON'T get what we are asking for because God sees the bigger picture, the BEST picture, and what we are asking for is not THE BEST.
Does that make sense?
. . . anywhooo . . .
All that to say, I believe that God is FOR ADOPTION. There is no doubt from Scripture that God's heart is huge for orphans, and that He loves to place the fatherless in families.
So, here lies the question of my heart . . .
If God is FOR ADOPTION, and He has laid adoption on our hearts, then shouldn't we ask him for the GOOD GIFT of providing the finances necessary to adopt again?
(And here creeps in my doubt . . . should I ask God and WAIT, or should I ask God and ACT???)
In other words . . .
Should I ask God to provide this very large sum of money for our next adoption and sit and wait for that money to be provided in a way that I can't even imagine (which God is totally capable of doing . . . seen this kind of stuff happen before).
Or . . . should I ask God to provide this very large sum of money for our next adoption and then ACT by writing fundraising letters, starting fundraising on my blog, petitioning our church to extend financial assistance to families wanting to adopt, etc, etc???
I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!
Do we march into our next adoption with eyes closed or wide open? With enough money to simply apply for the process or pay in full?
O God, give us wisdom. Give me patience to wait on your answer and clarity to listen to your voice and not my flesh or anything not of you.
And, friends, thanks for letting me be 110% honest. :)
8 comments:
oh, friend! such an impossible situation. but, you know what my answer would be :)
praying for you during this time. i pray that God will make His will very clear to you and nate.
love ya girl ♥
Definitely one of the more difficult situations to ponder in the whole process.
God told Joshua that He was giving Canaan to Israel, but they still had to fight for it.
I think the balance is knowing that God can take our actions and multiply them, but that we cannot create/do/realize anything for His glory outside of His will.
It's not about us, it's about Him. Keeping that at the center of everything we do is paramount.
God does the rest.
I'm with ya, friend. :)
Just like people have often said before, "there's no 'perfect' time to [get married / become a parent / etc]" and if you wait for the 'perfect' time or the 'perfect' finances, you'll wait forever."
But still, knowing when to wait and when to act, and how God may be nudging you for your own family, is puzzling.
I think the key either way is to start asking, though! Because the verse says "to those who ask Him!" I'll be praying on your behalf!
I totally get you post. It is so hard to know. We have been so "there" too. If you have the "inside" on encouraging our church to jump on the adoption support bandwagon, we will be right behind you....we (the adoption support group at Southland) just cannot figure out a way to do it. We have been looking at Lifesong for Orphans ministry which comes into a church and does alot of the "work" for you to start a support type ministry. We would love for you guys to join our group and help us rally the troops! ;) There are lots of Ethiopian sweeties in the group! :) We meet the first thursday of every month. I pray that God will give you direction. We (hubs and I) have found that sometimes its easier to step out and then have God slam the door in our face than to wait at the door and peek thru and then worry that we are possibly missing something... :) By the way, we have stepped thru that door and no slamming yet! ; Kazakhstan first, now Ecuador....God enjoys our hearts for tourism I think! :)
email me if you want any more info on the group. hensleykhensley (at)aim (dot) com. Hugs! Karen
You need to go in with enough money for the application and have faith that the rest will come - then get in touch with my friend and I am sure you know her Erica Shubin to help you set up a fund raising account on facebook. God is faithful and HE WILL PROVIDE!! Dont wait! - My 2 cents Toni
I am so with you on this and understand completely!
No mam!!! We were EXACTLY where you are now....back in Aug/Sept/Oct time frame. We KNEW that God was telling us to adopt again. We had ZERO funding. I mean nada!!
(hate to put this out there but here goes) We had a whopping $13 in savings and started out on our 3rd adoption.
I knew that adoption was "what" were called to do and that God was the "how" it was going to happen.
I am happy to report that we have raised (and put money in ourselves) over $15,000 to date!! If God gave you the "vision" than He and only He is your "provision"!
I will be more than happy to share with you our fundraising ideas!! Love you guys! God is good and faithful! Trust Him and only Him!
Stephany Im here with you girl. You took the words out of my mouth, I think we are going for it, Im here if you need me...Erin
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