It is not an OR! It is an AND!
One thing I noticed after adopting is that people try and pigeon hole us (or others like us) to just that. That adoption and orphan care is where it is at for us - nothing else.
This kind of bothers me. Sure, I want to be known as a lover of "the least of these" - shouldn't we all? But see, that is not why we did it.
We adopted in obedience to God.
It is really that simple.
God opened our eyes to the plight of the orphan.
We looked in His word to confirm (and HELLO, that was confirmed, see: James 1:27 & Ephesians 1:5 - just for starters).
We stepped out IN FAITH - trusting that God would supply the finances and all that had to happen to make the adoption come to fruition. We also trusted that if this was not the Lord's will that He would see our hearts to follow Him and redirect us. We rested in that!
See it wasn't about adoption or even Isaiah.
It was about obedience to what God had placed on our hearts.
Simple obedience.
We do not know where God will lead next.
Another adoption? Leading bible study? Mission trip? Serving in VBS? Making a meal for a new mom? Asking an unsaved family over for dinner?
Who knows? God does!
And as Justin and I seek to follow Him daily, prayerfully asking for Him to light the path and desire to walk in obedience.
I trust that God will lead.
Serving the Lord is not a situation where we say "we will pour into Ug*nda OR our church - adoption OR leading bible study - hosting in our home OR a mission trip."
It is about learning and growing in Him AND stepping out where ever it may be!
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Excellent post Sha...absolutely excellent. And I know there will be lots of ANDS and that is SOOO exciting. There is no time for OR...our time here is short...in the perspective of FOREVER...this is a blink...we need to be running towards all the ANDS we can. You and Justin are such examples of this. Love you guys.
ReplyDeleteWELL SAID! I love this post.....good job sister....
ReplyDeleteAMEN to your post....Always available to whatever God Wills.
ReplyDeleteLovingly,
Sandy in NC
Yes! You're so right on. The idea of living your life in obedience to God - I know that makes God's heart happy!
ReplyDeleteI think obedience is not always so much about being ready for what God will ask us to do next, as it is to live obediently day by day in the little things we already know He has asked of us - being kind, forgiving those who sin against us, bearing one another's burdens, loving Him with all our heart and might and strength. When we're practicing obedience in the "small" things (which really aren't small at all) it is so much easier to respond in obedience when He asks us to do the other things.
Since we never know what God will ask of us, choosing to live obediently makes life a great adventure!
Great post!
ReplyDeletePeople always put me in a box ...
"You're a mother of a dozen."
"You're a homeschooling mom.
"You're an adoptive mom."
Yes, I happen to be all of those things, but first and foremost, I am a daughter of the King of Kings, wanting to live my whole life in service to Him. I don't want to be defined by the "things" that the world sees ... I want to be defined as someone who has a heart for God, and who steps out in faith for whatever He calls me to do.
Bring on the children ...
Bring on the Bible Studies ...
Bring on the Mission Trips ...
Whatever and wherever He leads ... that is where I want to be.
:) :) :)