Mamas*Little*Treasures

Come Out of the Darkness, Into His Light

“Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner
like mercy and love.
Souls that converse much with sin and wrath,
may be much terrified;
but souls that converse much with grace and mercy,
will be much humbled.”

~ ~Thomas Brooks (1608 – 1680) ~

When we come face-to-face with our own brokenness, we can either turn all of that pain and fear inward, or we can confront it, bring it before our loving Heavenly Father, and be forgiven. The consequences of our choice in this matter will have lifelong implications for all of our future relationships. The world is full of hurting people who have chosen to hide their breaking hearts behind a facade of pride and arrogance. They clamour for more and more chaos in their efforts to drown out the terror that comes with a life of sin. No matter how elegant or sophisticated their lives appear to everyone around them, there is always a darkness that lurks just around the next corner and a loneliness that permeates every silent second as they are searching for peace. But they are looking in all the wrong places.

Have you ever known a person who just seemed to stir up chaos, confusion, and trouble wherever they went? These are people who have a need for conflict, drama, and ongoing contention. It is as if they wander through life (usually they really don't have too much direction in terms of setting and achieving goals or accomplishing anything in particular), and never take the time to glance over their shoulder to see all of the destruction that their chaos has caused in the lives of others. They just go on their way, tossing "hand grenades" over their shoulder, and walk on whistling a tune while everyone and everything in their path is being "blown up." There was a character in the "Peanuts" comic strip years ago, named "Pigpen," who always had a cloud of dust and debris swirling out behind him wherever he went. Perhaps Pigpen was just kind of messy, and created lots of clutter everywhere he went. But he reminded me of people who are so afraid of looking directly in the face of truth, and doing what is necessary to correct their sinful ways, that they create all kinds of distractions for themselves as well as for everyone around them.

Living a life in which we "converse much with sin and wrath" is a fearful place to be. God offers us the mercy, grace, and forgiveness to break the bonds of sin, and the "terror" that accompanies that lifestyle, so why do so many of us choose instead to hide behind our masks of pretense? Perhaps it is the fear of feeling the pain of our breaking heart when we truly acknowledge our sin, and a fear of being humbled by God's mercy and love. Is it pride that keeps us from admitting the truth, that we are, all of us, sinful and unworthy of His great gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it a spirit of arrogance that tells us we don't need God's love and forgiveness? And if we truly believe that we are "good enough" without God's merciful gifts, then why are we so miserable when we claim our own righteousness?

The human spirit is capable of such amazing, generous, loving, and sacrificial acts of grace . . . . . but the human spirit is also capable of the most horrific and degraded acts of violence. It is only when we seek the truth, the whole truth, about our lives here in this finite world, that we can begin to see the destruction that awaits us if we choose to turn away from God's gracious gift of mercy and forgiveness. Look around you, this truth is evident on the faces of people everywhere. Why do they keep hiding behind their masks when they could come out into the sunshine of freedom from fear in the presence of our all-loving, all-knowing, and all-forgiving Heavenly Father? I'm planning to keep sweeping up all that dust that I've left behind me, and keep walking towards the Light of His Love. I hope you'll come along with me on this journey!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. . . . . we implore you, on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:17 -21

If you would like to participate with the other bloggers this week at "In Other Words," please visit Twinkle Mom at Sunflower Faith. You can read her post and then visit the other participants. Then, if you would like to post your thoughts about this quote, please leave a link back to YOUR blog so we can come by and visit you. Have a great Tuesday! 

Nina

 

 

What are YOU Waiting For?

Learning to wait on God's timing - and having the patience to follow his lead rather than running ahead of him - is essential for those who are committed to seeing their faith journey through to the end. God seldom rushes things along. Getting used to his pace will help you in the long run.

~Marcia Ford - Essentials for Life for Women~

Our vision is so limited. In our human frailty, we simply cannot see or understand the "Big Picture" of God's plans for us, or for the world around us. That's actually a good thing, because if we could figure everything out on our own, we wouldn't need our loving Heavenly Father. As women, we are always waiting for something: we are waiting to grow up, we are waiting to finish our education, we are waiting to get married, or not, we are waiting for our first baby, then we are waiting (anxiously) for that first baby to hurry up and make his or her entrance into the world, then we might be waiting for baby two, three, four, and so on . . . . then we are waiting for them to walk, talk, and tie their shoes. We are then waiting for them to start school, to learn to drive, to graduate from high school, to go to college, to come home from college, to get married, or not, to get a job and start their own family. In the meantime, we are waiting patiently for our children at soccer practice, piano lessons, at dance class, at football or basketball practice, at cheerleading practice, at choir practice or at rehearsals for the spring musical. As women, we find ourselves waiting for lots of things, for long periods of time, because we love the people we are waiting for.

Waiting . . . . patiently. Or maybe not always patiently. But that is the life of a woman. We wait for everything in life that is worth the investment of our time, our energy, and most of all our love. But it is so difficult to wait for God to answer; to wait to know, to understand, to resolve conflict, to settle disagreements. But whatever we are waiting for, today right where we are living this minute, God has not forgotten us. He has a plan for our lives, but we need to remember that His plan also includes the lives of other people, and it really is not all about "me." Think about the prophet Habakkuk, when he was desperate to understand what God was doing among the His people:

"How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" (Hab. 1:2a) His impatience with God's seemingly slow response to his cries for help was reaching a boiling point: "I cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save . . . . Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?" (Hab. 1:2b-3) Are you facing something in your life that seems intolerable, unjust, unimagineable, and humanly unbearable? You just might be surprised at what God has planned for you! When Habakkuk was complaining to God about all of the evil that he had witnessed all around him, he expected God to do an amazing thing and strike down the evil-doers in the midst of His people. So Habakkuk was surprised when God revealed His plan:

"Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." (Hab. 1:5) Habakkuk was most certainly astounded then to hear God's plan: "I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor . . . .guilty men, whose own strength is their god." (Hab. 1:6-7, 11)

Waiting for God to move in our lives frequently leaves us in a place of uncertainty, confusion, and fear. We must remember that even when we cannot see WHAT He is doing, we can rest in the truth of His Word and the grace in His heart, knowing that He IS doing the very best for us, because He loves us: "O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish." (Hab:1:12) And with renewed confidence that God knew all about the evil-doers in the midst of His people, Habakkuk realized that even though he couldn't SEE what God was doing, it was nevertheless taking place just as God had ordained that it would. With that confidence, Habakkuk could then rest in the knowledge of God's sovereignty and say, "I will stand at my watch, and station myself on the rapmarts; I will look to see what He will say to me and what answer I am to give to this complaint." (Hab.2:1)

Then God reveals to Habakkuk that, even though he may not understand or be able to see what God is doing, He is trustworthy and will use even the "ruthless and impetuous" Babylonians to take care of the injustice and evil that is being perpetuated among God's people: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." (Hab. 2:2-3)

What are you waiting for? Do not be discouraged, because God is working, whether we see it right now or not. And even if you feel that the time that you are investing in "waiting" is wasted, you must know that often times God uses these "hidden" times of waiting to create in us His fully-formed plan for our lives. Patience is difficult, but at least we are not left hopeless, wondering about the outcome of our waiting. He is in control, and EVEN the tragedies of life, just like those nasty ol' Babylonians, are used by God to turn our ashes into His beauty. Trust Him . . . . because He love you more than you can imagine.

If you would like to participate in this week's "In Other Words" blog meme, please visit Debbie at Chocolate and Coffee: Heart of a Pastor's Wife, where you can leave a link back to your blog post on this week's quote. Have a great Tuesday! Nina

"In Other Words" - Dark Shadows and God's Grace

“Your worst days are never so bad
that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.
And your best days are never so good
          that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”  

 

 ~Jerry Bridges

And yet our memories are so short. In the midst of the joyous, peaceful times of rest and confidence, we may not consciously proclaim that we do not need God's grace . . . . but how often do we live as if that is true? Then, when we walk through the darkest days of pain, grief, and brokenness, we can frequently still articulate our belief in God's grace, and yet we continue to live as if it were not so. We carry that heavy burden alone, when we really could seek God's face, knowing that He is there to guide us through those valleys and shadows. He does not promise that we will not face trials and hardships, but His Word promises that He will walk with us in the midst of those dark places.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Psalm 23: 4

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man to to me?'" Hebrews 13: 5-6

And then we are reminded, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

No matter how devastated, destitute, broken, angry, helpless, or hopeless we might feel, He is there. You only have to live long enough and you will encounter struggles. No one is exempt. Frequently the obstacles that we encounter are thrown into our pathway by other people. But we need to remember: "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Well, in reality, there is a LOT that other people can do to us . . . . that is not the point of this statement. It is that, because the Lord is my helper, I don't need to be afraid of what others can do to us. They'll still do it, make no mistake about that! But with God's grace, we can rise above all of the ugliness that other people can send our way.

But what about those things that just seem to "happen" in life? Accidents, natural disasters, broken health, death . . . . are they beyond the grace of God? "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil . . . . " God will carry us through even those moments of tragedy and terror. It is easy for us all to sit in judgment of others who are suffering, and piously pronounce God's grace - we must be wise and cautious, because in this life, we will all experience pain. And so, as one who has walked through a few valleys, perhaps not the same valleys that you have walked through, but nevertheless some very dark valleys, I can assure you that you will come out the other side of that lonely place and realize you were really never alone at all. And in the brightly shining sunshine of God's love, you will again blossom and flourish beneath the blessing of His grace.

But when those days of peace and tranquility return, let us all remember the shadows. Let us all walk in humility, sharing the truth of His grace with those who all around us who are in the midst of their own valley. And let us never be so arrogant as to think that we will never stumble and fall into a place of despair. Life is difficult, but God is big enough to hold us close through the very deepest, darkest places, even if we try to hide from Him. Keep walking, seeking His face, and you WILL find the light. You WILL know His peace again. I promise.

PS That is one of the blessings of getting older  ;o) Once we've survived the brokenness, and God has taken the ashes of our devastation and turned it into something that shines so much brighter than we could have ever imagined, we now have the privilege of walking with someone else who might be struggling. This, too, is true, I promise.

Join us today for In "Other" Words.  Share your thoughts on the quote on your own blog, then visit Jennifer on her blog at Scraps and Snippets  where you can leave a direct link to your post for today. Please visit the other IOW participants to read their thoughts, as well.

A New Year a New Choice

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God
whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

~ by Oswald Chambers ~

The new year is here! Most of us think about ways to make the most of a brand-new start as the calendar turns the page and we see the possibilities ahead. We don't know what the next year has in store, but we are optimistic that this is God's gift to us to figure out some things that were puzzling and confusing in the past. And so we tend to make resolutions, make plans, get organized, make commitments, and decide to do a few things differently. But in the end, we are just not in control of all of that! It is a good thing to plan for the future, to make a budget and try to live with it, to set out on a plan for a more healthy lifestyle - but ultimately, only God knows what lies ahead. 

How many times over this past year have you encountered a difficult situation, a period of struggle and disappointment, or circumstances that seemed hopeless? Not too long ago our family was facing an ongoing period of financial struggles as a result of unemployment. One day we were wondering what we were going to do next, and the very next day there was a job offer! And not just any job offer . . . . this opportunity to work with a local company that truly treats their employees with respect, appreciation, and kindness has changed more than our financial situation! Not that everything is perfect, by any means - but for the minute, we are feeling much less stress about keeping up with the bills. And that is a very good thing!

There have been many times in our family, and in your family, too, I am sure, when you were confronting something that just seemed absolutely insurmountable. Perhaps a personal tragedy, or death, or a broken relationship, and you simply could not see beyond to darkness which surrounded you. It is at that moment that I want to remind you that trusting in God's grace is not just something to talk about. I can assure that it is true, that it works, and that it makes a difference! Although we all try not to talk about all of those struggles in our lives, especially when we have experienced things like a broken marriage, a spiritual battle with sin, or an ongoing struggle with addiction, God's grace is sufficient for the most devastating crisis you may be experiencing.

But all of this is a choice. Faith is, in fact, a "deliberate confidence." And what is most significant here is that it is a confidence, not in an arbitrary granting of a request that may or may not be heard, it is a confidence in the one thing that never changes: the character of God. Because we know that God's love never fails, His compassion is eternal, and His grace is complete, we can be confident in knowing that He is in control, even when all seems lost. Beyond that knowledge, we can be confident that He cares and is working even when we can't see what lies ahead. Now we can still choose to reject that truth, and create our own future. Or we can make a deliberate choice to believe in His promises, and eventually your heart will be healed, your life will be restored, relationships will be redeemed . . . . but we must do our part, and that is to have "deliberate confidence" in the loving heart of our God.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Psalm 23:4

If you would like to participate this week with "In Other Words," simply post your thoughts on this quotation on your blog, and then come back here and leave a link to your post so we can come and visit you. Then, please take a minute to visit the other participants' blogs and let them know you stopped by! Have a great week and a blessed new year!  Ninad ambers ~

 

He Surrounds Us With the Light of His Love

“Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God.”

~Augustine~

The reality of this truth is so evident in each of our lives, that it is a wonder that we need to be reminded! How many times have we all exerienced this truth . . . . and what a wonder and miracle of grace it is when we turn around, return to the warmth and light of His love, and discover that He has been there all along. And yet we so frequently DO forget this truth, as we rush about taking care of our daily responsibilities. Finding the balance between being responsible and being mindful of God's presence seems to be difficult for most of us to discover, much less maintain.

We are so frequently reminded of the story of Mary and Martha, and the words of Jesus that Mary had "chosen the better part" by sitting at His feet and worshipping Him. Would that we all could take the time away from all of our other responsibilities to simply sit and worship the Lord! And, of course, Martha was chastised for bustling about, serving her guests, and taking care of their needs. Hmmm . . . . . seems like we should be able to sit close to our Lord and worship Him AND be able to take care of those for whom we are called to care for. So, it seems that because of the mixed messages we sometimes hear, especially for women, we get confused, and find ourselves moving closer to that fire of God's presence and then being pulled away repeatedly by the demands of those around us.

And in all of this coming and going, we miss the truth that He is there . .  . everywhere . . . . even when we are not able to sit quietly and worship. When we can do that, it is truly a treasure. But for many women, it is a continual struggle to find time - especially "quiet" time - to stop long enough even to think about all of this! On the one hand, we are reminded that it is our job to minister in our home, to our family, in our church, in our community, to our neighbors, to our parents, and be a loving and gentle helpmate to our husbands. And then when we collapse from sheer exhaustion, or frequently break-down under the pressure of meeting all of those needs, we feel guilty. But that's not all that we feel guilty about - we suddenly are reminded that we haven't been taking enough time to sit quietly and worship at the feet of Jesus.

Fortunately, I don't think God looks at it that way! God honors our commitment and our ministry as women, as mothers, as wives, daughters, sisters, friend and He knows that we are caring for others as an act of worshipping Him. So in the midst of finding that balance, searching for that place where we remain in His presence and in the warmth and light of His love, let us not forget that He does not place the same demands on us that we frequently place on ourselves, usually at the prompting of those around us. We can worship Him everywhere, any time, every minute of every day, and we can remain in His presence even while we are living in obedience and ministering to those whom He has placed in our care. Don't miss that light and that place of His warm and gentle love because you are waiting for that elusive "quiet time."

If you would like to participate this week with the other "In Other Words" participants, please visit Kathryn at her blog, Expectant Hearts, where you can find links to the other posts. Then, if you choose to write on this quote, you can leave your link, too, so we can come and visit you and your blog! Have a blessed week . . . . and stay warm in the light of His love!

 ~~ Nina ~~

Who needs a Savior anyway?

“When we are going through desperate, difficult times, the hardest thing can be hearing the voices of condemnation, rejection, and shame from others. The Enemy – the accuser of our brothers – loves to use people to kick us in the stomach when we’re down. The Enemy loves to use our sin to condemn us rather than allow us to hear the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus silences the condemning voices and commands them to leave. Listen to the kindness in His voice as He says in
John 8:10-11.”

By Beth Redman
God Knows My Name:
Never Forgotten, Forever Loved

In the midst of all the "accusing voices" we frequently hear around us, the loudest one of all is the "self-critic." And even though we know where that critical spirit is coming from, it is still very powerful. When we listen to that accusation, that criticism, that condemnation, we can become so discouraged that we just want to give up. Part of the problem here is that we live in a "Christian Culture" that, in subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle ways, teaches us that we need to project an image of "perfection" if we are to be "acceptable" in our churches. So we try to "measure up," and when we don't quite make the mark, we feel like a failure. That is when the condemnation begins to overpower our spirits.

For many years I have observed something among church folks that puzzles me: we talk a lot about "salvation by grace, through faith," and remind ourselves that it is a free gift, "not of works, lest anyone should boast." We can quote those Scripture verses all day long! And then we turn around and live as if we really ought to be able to do this on our own. We have such high expectations for ourselves, and for everyone else in our world. The disappointment comes when none of us can quite achieve that level of "perfection." Now it is clear in Scripture, as well, that we are to live a life of obedience to God, out of a heart of gratitude for all that He has done in offering us the free gift of salvation. Living in such a way that our choices and our actions honor God is clearly the objective here.

But when we say one thing, and then live as if it just might not be true after all . . . . . we negate the Gospel message of salvation. If we COULD achieve perfection on our own, well, then we wouldn't need a savior, would we? In the midst of all of this confusing rhetoric, it is truly a gift to be reminded that Jesus does not condemn us when we fail. His voice of compassion can be heard if we listen; if we can refuse to accept those words of criticism and accusation when they come to us, then we can relax and keep putting one foot in front of the other on our journey to obedience. It's a long and difficult journey, and sometimes we will stumble and fall.

But we must hold on to the truth of the words of Jesus: "Then neither do I condemn you." We must remind ourselves of His heart of gentleness and kindness, even in the presence of those around us who perhaps have chosen not to forgive. Those who have chosen to hold onto our failures, and refuse to offer the grace that God extends to us. Even though their standard for forgiveness appears to be much higher even than God's, we know the truth. We are forgiven, we are loved, and through the gentle touch of His hand and the sweet sound of His voice in our hearts, we are able to go forward, striving to grow in obedience all along the journey.

Won't you listen to the gentle whisper of Jesus today, telling you that you are loved, you are forgiven, and you are acceptable because of His sacrifice? Can you shut out the voices of accusation and condemnation? Because they are simply not true! Claim the truth for your life today, and you will rise up on the wings of His grace.

Please visit Loni at her blog, Writing Canvas, to find links to the other bloggers who are participating this week with "In Other Words," and then if you write about this quote on your blog, be sure to leave a link so we can come and visit you!

The Tragedy of "Two Faces"

"No one man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true."

~~ Nathaniel Hawthorne  

As a part-time "literary junkie" I have had the privilege over the years as a "non-traditional" college student to read several of the books written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This seems to be an underlying theme in many of his short stories and novels, and the clarity with which he writes of the consequences of this "duplicity" is stunning. It would be nice if we could relegate this type of observation to those "old classics," where a preacher commits adultery and his accomplice must wear a symbol of her sin for all to see . . . . but sadly, this kind of "two-faced" approach to living is alive and well in the 21st century. And the genius of Hawthorne's storytelling is that the "good guys" are even worse than the "sinners" in many of his stories.

 

In "polite society" we tend to downplay the seriousness of this reality - much to our destruction. The chaos and confusion that results from even one person in a family, community, or church who chooses to live this type of "double life," break hearts, and destroy relationships. Ultimately it completely devours the person who is so self-deceived to think that he or she can continue to maintain the pretense, even in the face of mounting evidence. But, the bigger story and the greater "sin" is that, because we cannot "talk about it," the destruction becomes a "monster," consuming everyone who is taken in by the deception. There is only one way to overcome this self-deception and it is very simple: just do the right thing and tell the truth.

 

If you have never experienced the brokenness that comes from attempting to have a relationship with a person who wears "two faces," you may not truly understand the depth of despair and complete tradedy that it causes. Tragedy is actually a very accurate word to use in this context: another little journey I've taken as a "literary junkie" is into the world of Greek drama and tragedy. The notion of "two faces" is clearly a perfect word picture for much of the storytelling in the Greek tradition. In the real world, truth is truth . . . wherever we find it. And scripture validates this reality in so many places, but one that I have found to be particularly relevant is found in Isaiah 59. The writer addresses a situation in which God's people need to be reminded that He is surely able to "save" them from their current calamity, but their "iniquities" have brought about their own dilemma:

 

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."  (vs. 1) Never again can we "blame" God for our difficulties in life. Even Job clearly teaches us that life is full of tradedy, even when we are doing our best to walk with God and honor Him with our lives. But we bring even more heartache into our lives when we deliberately choose a life of deception: "For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things." (vs. 2-3)

 

And what do we do in response to this evidence: "No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil." (vs. 4)

 

The result: "So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes." (vs. 9-10) Chaos and confusion, darkness and destruction, are the sure consequences of living a lie. And for those of us who have witnessed this destruction, and experienced the heartache, the even greater tragedy is not to watch the ever-growing self-destruction of a person who wears "two faces," but it is even more agonizing to watch, helplessly, while that pretense destroys those you love. Nathaniel Hawthorne read human nature accurately: when you can't figure out who you are, over time that "mask" of hypocrisy will become the prison that entombs you. Just do the right thing . . . . tell the truth.

 

Too many years she wandered

   through the scattered shards of shattered dreams,

   while drops of her life-blood fell silently 

from her wounded, bleeding heart upon the Frozen Souls of her children -

   while You, the Phantom Father,

  gave them stones instead of bread.

And fed their hardened hearts with lies instead of truth . . . .

Now, they walk in darkness, confusion, pain - and You,

   the Phantom Father - never noticed.

**********************************************************************************

 

Please visit Tami at her blog, The Next Step, to find links to the other IOW participants this week, and then leave your link so that we can visit you!

 

 

 

"Impossible" is not in our vocabulary!

"Oh, remember this: There is never a time when we may not hope in God. Whatever our necessities, however great our difficulties, and though to all appearance help is impossible, yet our business is to hope in God, and it will be found that it is not in vain." 

~ George Muller, quoted in ~ The Roller Coaster of Unemployment: Trusting God for the Ride by Sarah M. Hupp

 

Although our family has been touched over the past couple of years with the affects of unemployment, and I could share several stories of how God has provided for us in the midst of this uncertainty, that was not the first memory that came to me when I was contemplating this quote. Many of my readers know that we have two beautiful daughters, ages 7 and 9, who were adopted from China. In the beginning of our adoption journey, we knew that the financial realities of such an undertaking would be difficult at best . . . . but we actually did have a few resources at first. So we began our first adoption, and through a long series of circumstances, we managed to meet all of the financial deadlines that are required for the mountain of paperwork and "red tape" that goes into an international adoption. We brought Gracie home in November, 2002 at the age of 22 months. 

And then, a few months after we returned from our first trip to China, we "found" Annie on an adoption website. She was on a waiting child list because of her Cerebral Palsy, but somehow we just knew she was our daughter. But we also knew that, by that time, we had already invested all of our resources in our first adoption, and there was simply no possibility of coming up with the funds for a second trip to China. I called the adoption agency, inquiring about this little girl, 15 months old at the time, and was told that if we were interested we needed to fax our paperwork immediately.

Apparently, as the story was given to us, these children each have a file that is sent to an adoption agency for a designated number of weeks (I think we were told three months, total), and if there are no inquiries, then the child's file is sent to another agency. If there is no interest in adopting the child at the second agency, the file is then sent on to a third, and final, agency. This was the final stop for Annie's file . . . . and it was the last week before it would be returned to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs, not to be sent out again. If she was not "spoken for" within the next couple of days, her file would be returned and she would never again have the opportunity to be adopted.

So, even though we had NO idea how in the world we would ever be able to figurel out all of the financial requirements of an international adoption, I immediately faxed a "Letter of Intent," indicating that we were interested. This, I believe, put a "hold" on her file to give us a few more days to figure out what we were going to do. At the same time, we requested a copy of her medical records to take to our pediatrician. I called the drs. office, and they agreed to have our pediatrician review the medical records immediately, as soon as I could bring them in. When the fax arrived, I rushed down to the drs. office, the pediatrician took the records, and said she would call me as soon as she possibly could.

Within a half-hour of returning home, I received the call. The pediatrician told me that there was nothing she could see in the medical records that would indicate a situation that was going to get worse than what was already going on . . . . which we still didn't know exactly what "that" was, but it appeared to be minor Cerebral Palsy that had great potential for being successfully treated with therapy. That was all we needed to know! We needed to know that, with God's help, we would be capable of caring for a child with limitations, and this was definitely something that God could take care of.

So, the flurry of paperwork was underway - but that was just the beginning of the many times and ways that God gave us the hope, the courage, the confidence to move forward with an adoption of a precious little girl; a situation that seemed "impossible" in human terms. From one event to another, through the entire nine months that we waited to bring Annie home, God brought people into our lives, through our church and our community, to provide every penny that we needed for our adoption and our travel to China. Tomorrow I want to share with you a few of the amazing things that we experienced while watching God at work, making the "impossible" a reality for our family and for our Annie.

Please take a minute to visit some of the other participants in this week's IOW meme, and then leave YOUR link back to your blog so we can visit you!

Where are the Bread and Circuses?

"The littleness of Christians of this age results from the littleness of their consecration to Christ."
C. H. Spurgeon
Samson Conquered, sermon from November 21, 1858

 

How does this observation make me feel? We've all seen it, experienced it, and often are guilty of it. It reminds us that when we are confronted with truth, we have a couple of options: we can make excuses and blame someone else, we can just ignore it and go about our daily business, or we can face it boldly, courageously and own our part of this reality and make a determination to address it. The problem is, that this is a reality that needs to be addressed every day, probably every hour and every minute of our lives, because we live in a world that bombards us with so many distractions that it is very difficult to stay focused. Even if you are truly committed to following Christ in every area of life.

 

We live in a part of the country that has numerous Amish communities nearby. Just a few houses down from us, there is a house that is a "summer cottage" for an Amish family. They come out to the cottage sometimes on a Friday and Saturday, set up their lawn games and picnic table in their front yard, go swimming and boating, and cook out on their charcoal grill. How do they get there, I wonder? I've never seen a horse and buggy out front or in the garage, and yet there they are, most weekends in the summer, wearing their distinctive "plain" garments, their windows thrown wide open even on the most oppressively hot days when I've got my AC running full blast. What's up with that?

 

I don't know, and it really doesn't matter, except that I find it interesting and curious . . . . . because somehow, whether we agree with all of their theology or not, the Amish people have established a culture of being "separate" from modern society that allows them the peacefulness, the quiet, the structure and the routine that helps people devote themselves to their faith. I admire them for that. The Amish communities that I have observed express a deep, consistent, and enduring determination to live a life that expresses the "largeness" of their consecration to Christ. Of course, they are just people like the rest of us, with a variety of real-life struggles, relationship and parenting concerns, and community conflicts. But the overall approach to life that I've observed among the Amish people here in our area offers the kind of environment in which a person can more readily develop a life that is wholly devoted to God.

 

Now, the next question logically follows: Does one HAVE to live a life of complete separation from the modern world to achieve the kind of complete devotion and dedication to our faith that we are seeking here? And the answer, you know, is of course not. But there are definitely some advantages to living a life of simplicity, peacefulness, and order that provides more opportunities for achieving that goal. So how do we address the reality of the "littleness" of our consecration to Christ in the midst of a world that constantly is screaming at us? How can we escape the incessant noise that surrounds us, calling us to this distraction and that excitement, telling us that we "deserve" to be entertained every hour of every day?

 

Perhaps it is a choice. When we look at ancient history, there was a culture that had become the greatest in all of humanity to that time. And yet, that culture was destroyed from the inside, not by the barbarians clamouring at their borders . . . . when they had become convinced that they had a "right" to their "bread and circuses." Just entertain us and feed us. Maybe we DO need to take a look at our consecration to Christ; at our determination to become people of honor, justice, devotion and commitment to becoming all that God would have us be. Sometimes I wonder if we might have to follow the example of the Amish communities, just so we can find a place where it is quiet enough to think about all of this!

 

Please visit Miriam Pauline's blog today, Miriam Pauline's Monologue, to find the links to the other blogs of this week's IOW participants. And, of course, leave a link back to YOUR blog so we can come and visit you! Have a great Tuesday  ;o) 

 

 

Time Always Tells the Truth

 

"Only when we understand that God has ordained our suffering can we begin to make sense of it. Only then can we be certain that He has a purpose in it. When tragedy comes, when adversity strikes, we will not be shaken. Yes, we will cry. Yes, we will grieve. But we will move on confidently knowing that God is on His throne, that we are in His hand, that our circumstances are His doing, and that He is working them for our good."

~~ Terry L. Johnson,   When Grace Comes Home

 

Time. For many of us, time feels like the "enemy." We don't want to wait, to be patient, to trust that our immediate circumstances will be used by God to create something far more beautiful than we could have imagined. It all seems so senseless when we are in the midst of crisis, when everything around us appears to be broken beyond repair. The clouds of confusion make it very difficult to comprehend that God is still there, and that He has a plan and a purpose for our suffering.

 

But I have learned over the years, and through many heartbreaking circumstances, that "time always tells the truth." Eventually we will see the plan, the purpose, and the reason for our suffering. Now, that is not to say that God makes us suffer through agonizing, dream-shattering events in life just to make His point . . . . but He uses the circumstances of our lives, both the joys and the heart aches, to create something that never could have been possible without those moments of darkness. Here's a story to express this truth:

 

When she discovered that her family was falling apart, she had to decide whether it was the "right" choice or the "wrong" choice to address the infidelity. And because the children were still small, she decided that the "right" choice was to remain silent, protect the children, and try to "fix" her marriage. So she did. For 25 years. All of those years the marriage continued to be violated by infidelity, but she was determined that her children would have a "normal" childhood. And they did. Kind of.

 

She thought she had made the "right" choice, but discovered later that her silence and all of her efforts to "fix" herself, "fix" her marriage, and "fix" her family made no difference in the ongoing secret life of her husband. And it turned out NOT to be a good choice for her children, because they were completely stunned when she finally broke. After 25 years the marriage finally came to a disastrous end, with much brokenness for the entire family . . . . well, except for the one who had perpetuated the pretense in the first place.

 

Through the years of deception, blaming, accusations, and lies she wondered when  . . . . . how . . . . if God could use all that brokenness to make something beautiful. Sin is sin, and there are consequences for sin. But there is also forgiveness, mercy, and grace. And over time, the truth began to be revealed, and eventually she saw how all those years of heartache, shattered dreams, and a broken heart turned into another story. A story of hope, of redemption, or restoration, and of beauty.

 

For out of those years of secrecy, pretense, and pain God brought a new relationship that is safe and trusting. And God also brought two little girls from China to live with their "Forever Family" in America where they will be treated with respect and dignity. They will be allowed to have an education, and they will be allowed to be loved. Instead of being tossed to the side of the road in a rural Chinese village, God had His hand on two precious children who now have the opportunity to be part of a family. Instead of being left alone in the "dying room" of a Chinese orphanage, they are now wrapped in the warm embrace of their church family. That might not have happened if she hadn't been willing to walk through that time of darkness in her heart and soul. But it takes time. So, be patient, because "time always tells the truth."

 

If you would like to join us this week for "In Other Words," please visit our hostess this week, Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets, where you will find links to the other IOW participants and where you can leave your link so we can visit you to read your thoughts on this quote. Have a great Tuesday - and never, ever give up hope!  Hugs, Nina