SHE HAS OUR NAME

To see our family's name on her passport is moving to say the least. She is our daughter. God has called us to her. Though joyful, my heart can't help but hurt to think of the loss she has already endured in her young life, but God has a plan and we're part of it. I pray we serve Him well in the task He has ordained for us.

So now we wait, yet again, for final arrangements and plans. We trust and prepare and pray and invest in our children's lives here...because their world is about to change too. They trust. We've prepared them as best as we can. They've prayed and prayed for their new siblings. And we hope their little love tanks are full.

We are all eager to pour into our new family members' lives. How blessed we feel to be at a new starting line. How blessed to know that God sees the finish lines of our lives. How blessed to have a new son and daughter to love. How blessed...they have our name.

"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"

Psalm 27:14

SONS & DAUGHTERS

We are adopted sons and daughters of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is GOOD NEWS worth singing and dancing about!!

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

 

God Delights In You, Sons & Daughters

by Sovereign Grace Music

 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as HE CHOSE US in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

 

IN LOVE he predestined us for ADOPTION as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the FORGIVENESS of our trespasses, according to the riches of HIS GRACE, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works ALL THINGS according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to HOPE IN CHRIST might be to the praise of his glory.

 

In him you also, when you heard the word of TRUTH, the GOSPEL of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the PRAISE of HIS GLORY." Ephesians 1:3-14

 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

 

^"For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" Romans 10:13

WAITING TO BRING THEM HOME

Waiting...It's not easy, but when we trust with our whole heart that God's appointed time is perfect, purposeful, and planned, we find rest.

 

"I waited patiently for the LORD." Psalm 40:1

 

"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed."

Psalm 82:3

 

By God's grace, in this waiting may our focus remain:

 

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

AHHH, HOMESCHOOL......

How is it possible to go from this:

 

TO:

 

 COMPLETE & TOTAL MAYHEM 

 

in a matter of 30 minutes?!

 

But then again, it's an

EDUCATION OF THE HEART 

we seek after most earnestly around here.

 

CHECK!!!

UPDATE

We received an incredible update on both of the kids...including new photos!! Apparently India doesn't show a trace of her illness or even skin condition! This is beyond joyous!! We are stunned and amazed at how God has chosen to work in their little lives already. I can only imagine what lies ahead. Surely there are difficulties and even another tragic departure around the corner, but in it all we know that God has plans for our good and His glory. I pray we serve Him and them well in the venture set before us.

Thank you for upholding us in prayer. We are deeply grateful for a community of fellowship in the body of Christ. We are also grateful beyond words for those who are literally holding our children now, showing them God's love as we await our union.

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

BRIMMING GRACE

I met a special new friend who's adopting two children from Uganda. What a blessing to share in the adoption journey with others, especially sweet families like the Townsends. Check out these cute handmade bracelets that help fund their adoption! You can contact Sharon via her blog to purchase one...or two...or three...or more for gifts. :) Let's help bring their children home!!!

 

 

WWW.BRIMMINGGRACE.COM

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8

THE TREADMILL OF TRAINING HEARTS

Feelings of going nowhere despite our exhaustive efforts (aka feelings of failure and defeat), they lurk around many a corner, waiting to discourage, planting seeds of doubt. Today was just one of those days. You know the kind. There are moments in life when you get the wind knocked out of your sails and today that's just how I felt.

It's not that these feelings aren't normal or as if I'm the only one who's ever been discouraged along the rocky road of child rearing. I get that. And, the whole entire day today wasn't even that bad. Some parts were actually really sweet and very good! I love my kids intensely and I'm an advocate for them on a daily basis.  However, there are days when it can be burdensome to feel the ebb and flow of the one-step-forward-two-steps-back on the treadmill of training hearts.

It's important that discouraged parents (that would be me today) remember the questions to ask ourselves are not IF our children will sin, IF we will sin, IF our children will have weaknesses, IF we will have weaknesses...but rather, what will we do with our sins and weaknesses? How will we deal with our sins and weaknesses? Who can help us with our sins and weaknesses? How can we overcome patterns of sins and weaknesses? Where is there hope to be found?

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts t

hrough the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Romans 5:1-5

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

Romans 12:12

"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you."

Psalm 39:7

"Hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption."

Psalm 130:7

"[Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

1 John 2:2

I'm an optimist type. My glass is half full, people deserve the benefit of the doubt, and with a rearranged perspective there is bound to be a sunny side of the street in pretty much every scenario as far as I'm concerned. (Oddly enough, even as I write about these things, the grey clouds show promise to dissipate. It's a wonder what a little venting {and praying} can do.)

Nonetheless, these temptations to feel like a parental failure creep in like a thief, cunningly coercing me to assume I'm not cut out for the tasks before me. The enemy, he loves to devour, discourage, destroy. If I have a few great days or weeks in a row, I can be sure these feelings will come again, so I'm intent upon being prepared. That's why I'm so thankful to have promises from God I can cling to, even when I'm tempted to cower. His Word is living and active, renewing for a weary soul, full of hope and trustworthy.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Psalm 46:1

"Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:30-31

“'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."

Genesis 50:20

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

(Parents need to claim this one on repeat!)

As I soak in these promises, I'm reminded that the difficulties of this life are fleeting, but my response to them is eternal. The deficits of my flesh are temporal, but God's grace through them is purposeful as they help me cling to Him who is able when I'm not. My weaknesses and inadequacies are many, but my hope is not in myself. It's in a good God who loves me enough to orchestrate my struggles; a loving God who draws me to Himself when I come to the end of myself; a wise God who loves my children more than I do and intends their deficits (just like mine) for good. Therefore, I take my thoughts captive, refocus on the truth, and pray that I might point my kids to Christ through the saving message of the gospel!

All men have sinned and fall short, but the death of Christ on the cross payed for those sins. The resurrection of Christ provides life everlasting for those who follow Him and the offer of the free gift of salvation is available to all who call upon the name of the Lord.

I ask God to help me to be reminded of these foundational core truths every time I'm tempted to succumb to the temptations of these kinds of days. I ask Him to equip me to share this Good News with my children who need Him just the same. And, I'm thankful for God's grace to move on and rejoice and repent and reunite and restore and reprove and remember how much we are loved...even when we feel like we've failed. God will never fail us. Love never fails and the reality is that we can't thwart God's plans for our children in spite of our imperfections because God uses ALL things (including the inevitable inadequacies of our parenting) for good.

"For my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in."

Psalm 27:10

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28



"See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

God's Word is pure oxygen to the parent gasping for air. So, in everything (which by definition includes my feelings of failure today), I'm going to choose to give thanks. I pray that we fellow striving parents can build one another up, especially in our shortcomings, in our children's shortcomings too. I pray that we can all be honest with each other when days like today come around (and they will) so that none of us ever feel isolated or alone in our walk. I pray for perseverance as we run the race before us, resisting the schemes of our foe. And, I long for eternity all the more

as God graciously trains my heart on the treadmill of training my children's hearts for Him.

"For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life."

2 Corinthians 5:4

"And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

2 Corinthians 3:3

THE STORY BEHIND INDIA'S NAME

It's a bit lengthy and winding, the story behind India's name. (And, let's face it...if you've known me for any length of time, you know there's always a story behind it...I get it from my dad.) Nevertheless, it's very personal to reflect on God's purpose and journey in our hearts through the naming of each of our children and India's began with a lesson I hope we never forget.

Tracking back well over a decade ago, the Lord stirred in our hearts a desire to serve Him overseas.
Through twists and turns, ups and downs, and the pursuit of a career which has kept us here for now (another day/another story), God has continued to influence our hearts with the same desire.

But where? When? For how long? These questions don't have definitive answers yet, so we've remained where we are, thankful to be adopting, participating in short term missions as we continue to seek guidance for our future. In other words, up to this point it's remained clear that we are still right where God wants us (for now) and we're choosing to bloom where we're planted, minister right where we are, raise up an army of children for the Lord, and testify as often as we can about the greatness of our God.

Fast forward to January 2011...We had moved, were living in temporary housing, had sold most of our possessions, had to find homes for our pets, were displaced due to a sticky situation with a renter in our home, and we were sure the time had come for God to move us on. We prayed, waited, prayed, waited...and God's plans began to unfold for us to begin our adoptions...here.

We ended up moving back into our home which had been rented out, decided to stay at least through the course of our adoptions (even though it's a bit "cozy" for our growing family), and we began to pray again.

One day before my daily Bible reading, I prayed and asked the Lord to PLEASE show me His plans for us in service to Him. Would we stay? Would we go? We were willing to give up everything to go, but we didn't dare take one step outside of God's revealed and confirmed will.

“How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me. After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord our God."
Joshua 18:3-4, 6  

("The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." Proverbs 16:33)

That day as I began reading in Joshua 18, it felt like a flashlight at our feet for the next stage of our life journey (chapter 2 as we call it). So we committed to "surveying the land", prayerfully, in hopes that God might lead us into His plans for us in ministry (overseas? locally?), all the while continuing to do His work here just as we are, as we await future changes should that be God's will.

We've come to accept that the Lord may just want us to live our lives openhanded, willing to go, hands off the wheel, never holding too tightly to what we have here. But, we've also committed to "surveying the land" and seeing if there will come a time when God clearly beckons our hearts to go elsewhere for Him. 

In 2011 and 2012, Brodie (the "surveyor") journeyed to China, Malawi, and South Africa. All three places remain in his heart, but China calls and he will begin repeated visits as a short term mission trip coordinator for All God's Children International in 2013.
He is thrilled about this! He loves the Chinese people. We all do.

This is where the India part comes in...

So, last spring our church began plans for a trip to serve in India this coming fall. Although we were in the "surveying the land" frame of mind, there are only so many vacation days in a year and with our adoption travels coming up, we figured (mistake #1) that India just wasn't a place we saw for our family's future life in ministry, so we figured (mistake #2) that Brodie should not go on the short term trip with our church so he could save his vacation time.

Meanwhile, I began praying that God would increase my tenderness for the people of India and break my heart for them as His is broken for them and let me just say that God is a responsive God! Wow! All of a sudden, everywhere I turned India and the surrounding regions of Asia kept popping up:

-My missions magazine- theme India and Adoniram Judson

-My daughter's new missionary biography- India

-A reference at church- totally random- again Judson

-A free book arrives in the mail- No Longer a Slumdog- all about the sorrows of the needy in India and those who are ministering to them in Jesus' name.

-A book given to me by a faithful friend- My Heart in His Hands about Ann Judson (wife of Adoniram Judson)

-Our church supports missionaries in India- They came to visit and shared about their life there right around this time.

India.

India!

India!!!

OK...point taken...God clearly was opening our hearts to India (in answer to my prayers) and the mission was accomplished. So we said yes. Brodie would go with our church to India, even though we had our future "all planned out" and had decided that India wasn't in the cards.

LESSON 1: Don't put God in a box. His will is always best. We remain open and submissive and He leads. We FOLLOW.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Proverbs 19:21

Right about this time, a precious baby girl, fearfully and wonderfully made, was born in a very sad country in Africa. Though her first days of life would leave her an orphan through tragic loss, God had a loving plan for her.

Across the globe, there was a mommy and a daddy waiting for their second little {boy} to join their family from the same birth country as this tiny baby girl. They had figured (mistake #3!) that if they had a homestudy and immigration approval for two boys, then they would remain securely within the confines of God's will for their lives through adoption.

Duh. Have we learned anything yet?! Never put God in a box. He is God. We are not.

LESSON 2: Relearn LESSON 1

OK. Got it.

-God is God. We are not.

-Don't put God in a box. 

-Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand!

The email came through...We had already said we would say yes to the next little one who came our way (assuming this would be a non-newborn little boy)...And, there {she} was in our inbox. No photo...just a question...

Would we be interested in adopting a four day old baby girl?

Ummmmm.......

But this wasn't the plan and we don't have enough bedrooms and we hadn't considered this before and I'm still nursing my one year old and we have a plan and...

Be still. Pray. Wait for it...

And like a flashing caution sign, blindingly bright and redundant came these words in my mind:

"REMEMBER INDIA."

(Literally it sounded like and felt like and still feels like, "Remember the Alamo!") Ha!

"REMEMBER INDIA!"

What had we learned in LESSONS 1 and 2? Oh yes:

-God is God. We are not.

-Don't put God in a box.

-Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand!

At this point, for all we know, God may have ordained the rest of our years on earth to be lived out in Thiruvananthapuram. So we prayed and prayed and within 24 hours said yes to our God-sent little girl, the one who we never saw coming, but praise God!

 

He did.

-God is God. We are not.

 -Don't put God in a box.

 -Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand!

The homestudy was amended. Immigration too.

Had we pigeon-holed ourselves (or God) by putting parameters on our adoption plans?

 

Of course not.

LESSON LEARNED.

Now, as it turns out, we are scheduled to travel to Africa for our children literally at the exact same time as the church trip to India, so ironically Brodie won't be going after all, but God clearly had a plan as He opened our hearts to be submissive to His lead from now on. No more putting God in a box. No more plans of our own...just following the Leader who can be trusted with our future.

And so, we named our beloved daughter India since her life has served as a symbol for us of the lessons we've learned through her already. We are well aware that God is God. His plans are best. We can't put Him in a box. His will can't be thwarted. His ways are higher and better and wiser than ours could ever dream to be. And WE CAN TRUST HIM. He's knit this tiny soul to ours and we love her as our own soul, hence, the middle name.

"The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."
1 Samuel 18:1

We pray that the testimony of our daughter, India Soul, and her God-ordained beginnings will serve as a witness of the hand of God in our lives. We pray that her life will stand as a perpetual reminder of the lessons God has taught us this year:

-God is God. We are not.

-Don't put God in a box.

-Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand!

"REMEMBER INDIA!"

I pray this story gives you peace today as you read and trust and seek and pray for God's intervention in your life. It definitely encourages us and spurs us on to follow God into the unknown, realizing fully that ALL things, present and future, are known by Him already and we pray the same for others through the story behind India's name.

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."
Isaiah 43:1

UPDATE ON INDIA SOUL

Thank you to all for your faithful and God-honoring prayers! Praise God! It seems that the Lord has ordained more time for our little India here with us as He has touched her body with healing. We received word today that she has left the hospital and is going back to the orphanage to continue recovering!! Because of God's grace, our little girl has beat the odds.

This tiny precious one still needs our prayers as we ask the Lord to further heal her and sustain her life. We are still uncertain about the skin condition she has been dealing with and pray for healing and a diagnosis for that as well. We pray for the hands of those who are generously and lovingly caring for her in our absence. We pray for the paperwork to resolve quickly so that we can bring her and her big brother home as soon as possible.

We can't wait to take good care of our little loved ones. We can't wait to shower them with affection. We can't wait to tell them they are special and cherished and that they belong.

Thank you, Lord, for your healing touch on India Soul's life. Thank you for the privilege to pray for her as the body of Christ. May we all continue in fervent prayer, close to you, on our knees where you want us in good times and trials. You hear our prayers, God. You love each individual uniquely. Thank you that you've held our children in the shelter of your loving care as we cannot hold them yet ourselves. You are good, God! You are loving and responsive to your people! May we honor you with thanksgiving and praise you for what you have done and what you will do through the lives of India Soul and our Noble. Amen.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:4-8