Saturday, August 7, 2010
Warfare ... It is always coming !
One thing we always tell people when we are sitting down to talk adoption or orphan care is that you better put on your full armor cause the BATTLE is about to get hot and heavy ... I fully believe warfare is real !! I can't even tell you all the things that went wrong as we were starting each adoption processes - fridge went out, car transmission gone, Scott's truck caught on fire and BLEW-UP, air conditioning out, kids acting up even more than usual to make me doubt I could parent another child, people you expect to support you DON'T, job changes, loss of insurance, and the list could go on and on ... Don't let the roadblocks, the negative comments, the financial set backs, or doubt set in during this time ... USE IT AS ENCOURAGEMENT that you are following the Lord AND LAUGH IT OFF !!! When you join the crusade to love an orphan the battle will be tough (just ask all of the 147 volunteer team) ... We now warn anyone working w/ Suzanne and I with 147 that they better gear up ...
Does the warfare stop ?? not ever ... The longer you follow, the deeper you go w/ the Lord the more you will feel under attack ... This is just the way life is ... In the past few weeks, I have come to cling to one TRUTH - "No matter how stressed, sad, depressed or mad I feel I have an unshakeable PEACE w/ in me that comes straight from the LORD."
Remember you are NOT ALONE and sometimes the dreams you have are not the dreams GOD has ... Be open to HIS DREAM AND HIS JOURNEY ... His plan for your family is WAY better than anything else ... KINGDOM WORK !!! ... God will walk before you, beside you, behind you, and even carry you through it all ...
blessings from our family to yours ...
Does the warfare stop ?? not ever ... The longer you follow, the deeper you go w/ the Lord the more you will feel under attack ... This is just the way life is ... In the past few weeks, I have come to cling to one TRUTH - "No matter how stressed, sad, depressed or mad I feel I have an unshakeable PEACE w/ in me that comes straight from the LORD."
Remember you are NOT ALONE and sometimes the dreams you have are not the dreams GOD has ... Be open to HIS DREAM AND HIS JOURNEY ... His plan for your family is WAY better than anything else ... KINGDOM WORK !!! ... God will walk before you, beside you, behind you, and even carry you through it all ...
blessings from our family to yours ...
This is a picture from our coming home trip w/ Joseph and Daisy ... Each one of these children (minus KJ of course) is a child that has a forever family now ... THEY ARE ORPHANED NO MORE ... It took a lot to get them home, and worth every step in the journey !!!
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32 kind words.:
Thanks for your words of encouragement Gwen!!
Thanks for your words of encouragement Gwen!!
Thank you so much for this post. The battle is fierce at times, but the victory (the life of a precious child) is so worth it. We often feel the battle wage even when discussing adoption with others. We go through periods when we don't even want to bring up adoption or orphan care. We feel like people (secretly) roll their eyes and say "Here they go again." We can already guess what people will say or think (we get tired of feeling the battle),but we always end up talking about adoption. And we always pray that in some way God will be glorfied, and another child will come home.
The truthful and encouraging words we needed to hear as we fundraise!! Thanks, Gwen!
what a powerful picture!!! Chokes me up since prior to our adoption (which of course opened up a whole new "family") I only knew about 3 kids adopted internationally....2 in our extended family and one child in my classroom. Roadblocks are real...and at times overwhelming....but so worth it....!!
Thanks for the encouragement ! I needed to be reminded of this truth. You rock !
melissa from Indiana(who wants to adopt from India) says I laughed out loud with happpiness that someone said what was happening to our family, even talking about adoption. thank-you for this post.
SO TRUE!
I really appreciate this! As we are working to bring home our 12 child, we are always reminded of the ware fare...and even tonight things have hit us.
So thanks for letting me know I’m not alone!!!
Precious sister, Thank you so much for sharing your journeys with us, for speaking TRUTH, for encouraging us all as you face everything head on with unshakable faith. Your family is so precious and God is using you in a mighty way....the enemy fumes and would love to devour families that follow Christ. Praying for you as you all adjust and sort through the hard things. Praying for Maggie as we have longed for her healing since you brought her home. We cherish your example as you walk in peace through the joys and the sorrows.Love you and have missed seeing you all this summer. Kristi H.
This warfare is very real in our life right now and it's been hot and heavy since we have brought our daughter home in June. I know the "destroyer" is so mad that God pulled our daughter from that evil environment and she is now in a place where God is #1. I just pray that our family will be protected and sustain this tough time.
Thank you for this post!
Thank you for this. We started our adoption process this year and needed to hear this. Thanks for speaking truth!
Oh my goodness..this is so true. We got so we just laughed and said something really good must be happening for our adoption when another appliance or the umpteenth time the Suburban broke down. Now that SHE IS HOME...the microwave and coffeepot (at 5 am this was sad..ha) broke. SO, I was just thinking of this today!
Jenny
thank you so much for the reminder and encouragement that His dreams may not always be our dreams but He has a way better plan in store for our lives. its hard to walk by faith: walking, trusting, obeying, without seeing the outcome especially in the midst of trial. our plan was to have one more baby, then adopt, however, a few weeks ago i had my 4th miscarriage. obviously God has a different plan. we have decided to surrender "our" plans and not have anymore children but to start the adoption process sooner rather than later. we are desperately trying to get out of debt before starting the process... hopefully within the next 6 months.
I just had this exact conversation with someone tonight! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
And just because our children are home doesn't mean the war is over - the battle is on and we are VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST JESUS! No arrow against me will prevail!
Love you sweet girl - hope you are feeling better!
Jill
Just what I needed to hear as we prepare to leave for China in three weeks. So true, so very true. I am learning to be more at peace, as I also learn to let go of more and more fear. Thank you!
This post is so true! We are definitely in a spiritual battle as we begin our adoption process! Our air conditioner went out 4 times in a matter of 2 months...it was crazy! And there have been lots of other things...but we are putting on our armor everyday with prayer and God's word...it's a tough battle, but I know it'll be so worth it when she is in our arms!
Thank you for this post. We are feeling the battle as we begin the adoption process and it helps to know we are not fighting alone.
Thank you so much for this post. We are feeling the battle as we begin the adoption process. It is nice to know we are not fighting alone.
SO very true!! What an amazing post, thank you for sharing. And it's so very true that it doesn't end when these precious children get home.
It count it all as good! :)
Blessings
Andrea
ok girl. This post was sooooo timely. The light that never lights up on the dash of my van lit up so I can't renew my tags until it is fixed and Trevis' car broke down yesterday morning. We think it is the transmission b/c it would only drive in reverse. I was so down. I couldn't believe you posted this today. What are the odds? Psalms 20 was my comfort for yesteday.
www.proverbs24twelve.blogspot.com
Thank you for this post. It was a great encouragement to me today! Thank you for battle so hard against the enemy as you serve our great God!
An unbelieveably timely post for us as well. As the battle rages, I am thankful for the encouraging words from everyone. We purposed today to try to help people at our church (like when she looks at them, completely SCREAMS in panic and tells them she doesn't like them...sigh) understand a little more about the lack of trust our daughter experiences. Most think she needs more discipline, should just be left the scream it out. Of course, she can scream for many hours and still not trust them. It is time and healing for these precious ones and we are called to help others understand, see the need, know why God calls us to care for them. And Satan does wage war against this in so many ways. These last couple weeks the attacks have come from more angles than I could have imagined. We must press on for Him! Thanks as I'll be praying for you all.
Jeunesse Nageotte
Absolutely needed this. More then you know. Thank you friend. Clinging to His promises and walking out His plan with my armor on! Love you.
Thanks Gwen! We so needed to hear that. We are sitting in a hotel room in Dubai as we speak waiting for our final leg of the journey to Addis to pick up our kids. On the flight from NY today, Satan was working OVERTIME on us. He tried some last ditch things right before we left too. It is true, warfare is real. The cool part is though that when you know Satan is against you because you are doing "Kingdom work" it really is easier to laugh it off. We know that the God we serve has already won the battle!
Gwen you are so right. Thank you for reminding us that it is a BATTLE and a FIGHT to the finish!
The Lord has been teaching me lately that the only way for me to have peace is from HIM. Too often I try to find peace through my understanding and reasoning things out in my head, but HE is the source of peace. Understanding is not. That's why the Word says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding..." Prov. 3:5
I'm so thankful to have you and Suzanne in the fight for these childrens' hearts and lives!
Bless you!
Laine
A big AMEN to that Gwen!!! I felt like we were traveling through landmines from the second we accepted our referral and still. Thanks for posting. I really did need to read this today.
Thanks,
Jill ;)
www.thekoeppefamily.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for the encouragement and reminder. This battle isn't with flesh and blood but in the spiritual realm. We've been hit hard the last few months - in almost every area of our life and yet we cling to the HOPE of the ONE who saves.
Many blessings,
Laurie Enoch
Amen! Needed to read this...thank you for being so honest and real...Love your family..blessings.
Carrie
Amen and Amen...when we are in the center of God's will, we will always be in a battle. So thankful that I don't fight this alone. But there are days where I forget to put on my "full armour"...ouch!
Thankful for God's grace.
Have a great week.
And the other thing to add- because I believe the warfare to be very real, too- is that the deeper you get with God, yes you do experience more attacks. But, with it comes more support, more strength, and more love. I'd hate for anyone to walk away because, "who would want to sign up for an onslaught of arrows from the enemy???". The truth is, that when you are passionate for the things of God, and fiercely loving like He called us to, the attacks don't matter. They don't matter because, at that point, you're so in love with your Father and His ways, that your earthly life is of no concern. Basically, the increase in force against you, is met with greater force from Christ if you'll allow Him to have full reign. It works out. It's worth the fight. Sooooo worth the fight.
Tisra
mommy to 4, most recently Dorothy from India
love that pic..too funny that I'm sitting in the middle...ha great post..and yes...LL was so worth all the attacks and sleepless nights and tears...great post, kristi