Encouragement

Just wanted to share some encouragement. If anyone is like me, they are a little stressed. I hate that I try to take things into my own hands! Why can't I just let God handle everything & trust that He will? It's so hard at times.

I've been stressed about the adoption. Mostly finances, but also about traveling. I've never had a baby before, yet I am supposed to pack for an international flight for a baby that I have never met!?! Yes, just a little stressed! I know we probably have several weeks before we have to travel, but I'm trying to get things ready a little at the time so it's not so overwhelming when "the call" comes. Also, trying to get our home ready. There just seems to be so much to do. Back to the finances....that's a big stressor! Somehow we have to come up with thousands of dollars to go get little Samuel. It's really been getting to me lately. One way or another, we will go get our boy! He belongs home, & hopefully soon! We miss him so much even though we've never met him! We are so in love!

Then this morning on the way to work I was listening to K-Love, a Christian radio station. They were having people call in with WOW moments from God. I may not tell this story exactly right, but I hope to get the gist of it. I had goose bumps & tears streaming down my face as I drove to work this morning.

A woman called in & said she went on a mission trip with several in her
church to Armenia. She said there was one young lady that was very timid
about sharing her faith. They were all going out knocking on doors &
sharing Jesus with the locals. The young lady & a translator got lost
in Armenia. So, they decided to knock on the door of this one house.
A little girl answered & the young lady (through the translator)
explained she was from America & would like to talk with her & her
family. The little girl said she had something from America & ran to
her room. Then the mother & grandmother came to the door & invited
them in. They sat down & were talking when the little girl came &
sat beside the young lady. The little girl had a shoe box in her
lap. It was an Operation Christmas Child shoe box. The young lady
that came to share the Gospel with them had sent that shoe box! That actual specific shoe box! This gave the young lady boldness to share Jesus with this family. As a result 3 people got saved that day!

You see, God cares about the details! He works & orchestrates His plan for us. He knows why certain things happen. He knows how long it will take for us to have Samuel home. He knows exactly how & when we will receive the finances to go to Korea. Why do I ever doubt, or try to take things into my own hands? It's so much easier if I let go & let Him take complete control.

Then I get home from work & read this from my blogger momma friend Andrea:

...And life was too short to not trust the Lord completely and follow Him...
Isn’t it SO MUCH EASIER to look into the future and say with just faith and confidence…life is too short not to follow the Lord in this and to trust in Him every step of the way…

BUT my friends…that is just the BEGINNING of faith. Faith is seeing a MOUNTAIN and believing it can be moved. Faith some times has to face the hard stuff first before taking it’s first steps—you no longer are stepping forward blindly–but choosing to pick up all the obstacles…put them in a sack—the temptation will be to CARRY them YOURSELF…but I have to leave them at the cross and TRUST HIM with the outcome.

"To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
with your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hand for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.”

Ps. 18

I hope this encourages someone. God knows the big picture. He knows the plans that He has for us. So, why do we doubt Him? Why do we try to do things on our own? I am going to try & hope that I truly rest in Him. I want to move out of the way to see what He's going to do b/c His plans are so much better than mine & will blow us away!