Welcomed Home

Welcomed Home

I never understood, until I looked into their eyes.

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Waiting to be loved

There are always children waiting to be adopted. But we don’t need to adopt, because we have our own kids.

Seriously, that’s how I used to think. I’m ashamed to admit that, but it’s true.

My mindset changed, however, when I went to Bangkok and looked into the eyes of needy children, abused children, vulnerable children. And I realized, adoption isn’t about the wants or needs of a parent. It’s about welcoming a child into your heart and home and lavishing love on them.  Through adoption a child gets a new life, a new identity, a new family. They gain an advocate – someone to look after and provide for them. They receive a relationship with the parent who has chosen to love and accept them.

I find great joy in knowing that God has done this for me.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure” Eph 1:5.

He didn’t need me, as if the Self-sufficient One could be in need. But He wanted me. He longed to pour out His love on this needy soul, to take me “under His wing” and provide for me, to bestow on me a new name and a heavenly inheritance.

He chose me and I became His treasured daughter.

On the day of my adoption, everything changed. All my sins, which I wore like filthy rags, were taken away. He gave me a new heart. I was washed clean and clothed with the righteousness of Jesus. He made me fit to be His child and granted me direct access to His heart. He made me part of His worldwide family and He Himself came to dwell in me through His Holy Spirit.

I am safe now. Safe in the care of the Father who loves me. And so are you, fellow Jesus-follower!

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I’m adopted!

What facet of your adoption into His family is most precious to you and why? Please join the conversation– I’d love to hear from you!

 

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Don’t take my word for it! Check out these verses: 2 Cor 5:21, 6:18; Gal 4:5-6; Eph 1:4-5; Heb 10:17-22

 

Readjusting the Lens

Readjusting the Lens

Sometimes our vision changes.

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Walking with Jesus

When I set out on this blogging journey, my goal was to chronicle my walk with Christ. I was at the tail end of a pretty dark season. Life had recently come crashing down around me, and everything I thought I believed came into question. (To read more, please check out My Journey.)

“Two things I’m certain about,” I confided in a friend. “The Bible is the Word of God, and I’m saved by the blood of Jesus. Beyond that, I just don’t know right now.” Specific Christian doctrine, practical Christian living…it all needed to be reexamined.

Thankfully, those two certain beliefs are the bedrock of our faith and our God is a Master Rebuilder.

For a time, I thought I needed to rebuild my faith through prayer and Bible study, but then I came across the following verse in Colossians 2:7: “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith…” All those verbs – they’re in the passive tense, meaning I’m not the one doing them. Rather, I’m receiving the actions of Another.

Maybe that seems trivial, like mere semantics, but it took a weight off my shoulders. I realized that, just as God rooted me in Him at salvation, so He Himself is building and establishing my faith. My role is to abide in Him and welcome His work in me. (See John 15.)

During the course of this rebuilding project, I’ve learned that “identity” is a core issue in the Christian faith – most importantly, an accurate knowledge of God is essential. Of secondary, but also vital, importance is knowing my own identity as a child of God. These two things are like lenses through which I view and interact with the world around me.

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Looking at life through the lens of identity

God showed me that my understanding was flawed in both areas. So I’ve been taking notes as I read through Scripture of everything I see related to those two issues. My big, thick journal is almost full because, guess what? God has LOTS to say about identity. (And I’m not even half-way through the Bible yet!)

He longs to be known! And He wants us to know who we really are, too.

So I think it’s time to shift the focus here, or rather to “zoom in” on this aspect of our faith. I’d like to share with you what I’m learning, and I’d really love to learn from your journey, as well. Together, in the Body of Christ, we have the greatest treasure the world has ever known – friendship with God. Because He drew near, we can know Him and be secure in Him.

So stay tuned and prepare to be…encouraged!

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Lessons from my Old Guitar

Sometimes I feel so on top of things. The days are going just as scheduled. Everything is flowing nicely. I’m checking things off that endless “to-do” list and loving the feeling of accomplishment.

And other days, it’s quite the opposite.

Like today.

I’m sitting here in my cozy, quiet-time chair, not because the house is quiet, but because it’s not – and neither is my heart. It’s been a day of playing catch-up with my schedule, of telling little people to calm down, to read that sentence again, to pay attention, to do your chores, to wait just a minute while I finish helping your sister…It’s been that kind of day. That kind of week, actually.

So I’m asking God to quiet my restless heart.

Across the room, my old guitar catches my eye. It sits like a tribute to yesteryear, to days gone by when I actually had time to play. As I stare at it, I think to myself, I feel like one of those tightly-wound strings – stretched taut against the fretboard. I hate feeling this way.

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But then I realize…that tension is precisely what makes the sound of the guitar beautiful. Each string is pulled just right, bringing the entire instrument into tune. It would never make music without the tension.

Music in general is full of mounting tension and then release, of chaotic dissonance and then resolve. These contrasts bring interest and beauty to the piece. They are marks of a good composer.

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How very like life.

Though I long for peaceful days absent of struggle, I often find God composing beauty in the chaos. He is writing the song of my life through each and every season, each and every day. In the problems I face, He is crafting loveliness where there would otherwise be none.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and is safe” (Prov 18:10). 

For every struggle, there is Jesus.

– When I need to problem-solve – ”All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in [Christ]” (Col 2:3).

– When chaos and instability threaten to engulf me – “And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge…” (Is 33:6).

– When my heart hurts – “Blessed be…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3).

– When I feel the sting of rejection – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. (Is 43:1). “…I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer 31:3).

– When I am in need – “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).

– When I sin – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Ps 103:12).

– When I am weary – “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).

What a comfort to know that God is always there, always working to bring about good for His children (Rom 8:28). May we daily press closer to this God who meets our every need. And may we learn to hear the music He is creating in our lives.

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What needs has Jesus met for you this week? How do you see Him orchestrating beauty in your life?

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Apple of His Eye

“You can use my keys, Daddy,” she offered in her tiny sweet voice. Our baby girl held up her plastic rainbow keys as Hubby prepared to leave for the day.

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Sweet. Thoughtful. Adorable. But of course, completely impractical. Hubby knew they would never start his car.

But do you know what I noticed? He didn’t scold her for her childishness. He didn’t turn her away or ignore her unrealistic suggestion. He smiled and got down on her level, looking with delight into her bright, attentive eyes. She had come to him, and he was thrilled.

I wonder if that’s a little glimmer of how our heavenly Father relates toward us?

He doesn’t need our help, our gifts, our solutions, even our prayers. He is completely self-sufficient. And yet we, His kids, are His delight. (See Ps 149:4, Zeph 3:17.) It pleases Him when we come for any reason.

We don’t have to have the perfect prayer or really even know what to say (Rom 8:26). He loves it we talk to Him. He invites us to share life with Him. (He calls it “abiding” in John 15 and says that it’s the crux of the Christian life.)

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If you know God through faith in His Son, you have an all-access pass to His presence (Heb 4:16). Come anytime. Come all the time. For any and every reason – big or small.

Are you happy? Talk to Him about it! Thank Him for big and small joys. (See 1 Thess 5:18.)

Is your heart heavy? Throw your burden on Him! He’s big enough to handle it. (See 1 Pet 5:7.)

Do guilt and regret make you feel unwelcome? Come anyway. Let Him speak forgiveness over you. (See 1 Jn 1:9, Ps 103:12, 2 Cor 3:5.)

Are you entangled in sin? Bring it into His light. Let Him break your chains and teach you to walk free. (See Jn 8:36, Rom 12:2.)

You, child of God, are the apple of your Father’s eye.


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You are delighted in. Your salvation is all about relating to God, not about doing things for Him. He wants you to love Him, to delight in Him, to share life with Him. Out of that love for Him, everything else will flow.

Our Father is good. His love for us is so deep, so wide, so long and so high we could never find its borders.

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you” Ps 116:7.

I Shouldn’t Feel This Way

I “played hookie” on Sunday.

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Oh, I went to church. I dropped my family off and then sat in the parking lot during Sunday School. I just couldn’t bring myself to go in. My heart was in turmoil. I was upset about how the morning was going. Actually, I was upset about how life is going right now. Sometimes our burdens just grow so heavy.

Sometimes weariness wins.

I didn’t want to put on my happy face and pretend everything was fine. But neither did I want to get real and admit to my brothers and sisters how I was truly doing.

So Jesus and I, we just sat in the car together and I told Him all about it.

I told Him that I don’t understand why I feel so weak. Everyone else seems to have it together. They seem to handle stress and parenting and Christian living and everything else with ease. So I wonder, what’s wrong with me? I mean, it’s not like I’m suffering for Jesus, or facing a life-threatening disease, or something “big.” Why can’t I handle life better?

I’m ever so grateful that Jesus is compassionate and welcoming. That He listens and then gently sheds His light on things.

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After spending time with Him, I realized several things. First, someone else’s struggle does not invalidate mine. Yes, Christians are being martyred. Precious young moms are fighting cancer. Families nearby have no idea where their next meal will come from. Yes, their struggle is real and huge and heartbreaking.

But just as Jesus is “there” for them in their need, so He is “here” for me in mine.

Denial is not God’s way of dealing with problems. Rationalizing that “this shouldn’t be a big deal” is not how God works. My struggle, be it “big” or “small” – it’s real and it matters to God.

The fact is, life is hard. It wasn’t meant to be this way. Conflict, disappointment, sickness, heartbreak…those were never part of His original design. And Jesus felt our pain when He walked this earth. He’s not disappointed by our frailty, our emotional ups and downs. On the contrary. He sympathizes with us and longs to draw us near (Heb 4:15).

The invitation to come boldly to His throne of grace is open to all. He doesn’t say, “Take a look around and compare your struggle with others to see if yours is big enough to bother Me with.” Nope. He just says, “Come confidently to Me in your time of need. I’ve got grace and mercy just waiting to be lavished on you” (Heb 4:16).

A second truth He reminded me of is this. God’s grace comes out in dazzling splendor against the backdrop of our weakness. He shines most brightly through a life that is completely in need of Him. (See 2 Cor 12.)

“Why am I not stronger? Why can’t I handle this?” – those questions reveal my own self confidence and self  sufficiency. Boil it all down, and I’m disappointed because I thought better of myself than this.

Maybe that’s part of why God allows life to get unmanageable. So that our confidence will be in Him and not in ourselves. So that we will glory in Christ and boast in His power.   

Our weaknesses and struggles, our feelings and thoughts – they matter to God. He wants to take us, frailties and all, and breathe life into our weary souls. He is really good at taking jagged, broken pieces and making a mosaic masterpiece.

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Our God is not looking for strong people, but for those whose hearts are set on Him.

How has God put His power on display in your life?

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” (2 Chron 16:9a). See also Ps 91:14.