the God who hears

Monday, we saw Tinkle's pediatrician for her chest pain. Her doctor felt it necessary to run some tests on her heart. As I clung to scripture and waited, I prayed. I prayed some more. And I prayed some more. We received news yesterday that all is well with her heart. Praise Jesus! To Him be the glory.

We also got news of another. A loved one who has had her share of spiritual attack lately. One that I've prayed for and over as if she were my own. Her news wasn't as happy. As I sat and pondered over my prayers and over my God, I was reminded and I am claiming the lessons I've been learning in my Precept Daniel 1 Bible study.

• God is the God of history. He created time. He knew then and He knows now what is to come.   Nothing comes to Him by surprise and He sets the paths of His people.
• He may not deliver His people from it, but He will deliver them through it. As Daniel faced the den of lions and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego faced the fiery furnace, their God could have removed them from their circumstances. He is all powerful. Instead, he allowed them to face the danger, and He chose to deliver them through it. And He received the glory from it.

So, the same God who gave us the good news about Tinkle is the same God who is in control of this sweet girl's circumstances. He will deliver her. I'm claiming it. And in the end, the glory is His. It already is.

And for the record, I hate Satan. His schemes on His church, His people. This enemy will not prevail. The battle has already been won. His church will rise up and continue to glorify Him through it all.

Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
Selah
Psalm 44:5-8

when faith cries out

It was Saturday morning. We sat on the sidelines, watching her play. Me...not sitting so much...moving...capturing shots. 

She just wasn't herself. Not running with her normal pep to her step...slower...and then...grabbing her chest...several times. Then I stopped capturing shots...more focused on her. Half time, I moved in on  her. She, not wanting to be pulled from the game, denied anything..."I'm not hurting." Once in the car, she admitted to the chest pain.

She's had it before. When running. A couple of years ago. I've chalked it up to a pulled muscle, as she quickly recuperated, mentioned it to her pediatrician, but now...we need to know it's nothing more. We will see her pediatrician this morning. As I sit here and write this, I am concerned. I do have butterflies in my stomach. But I also have an unexplained peace in it all.

This peace. It doesn't come from a confidence in finding nothing. My hope is not in her wonderful pediatrician.  It doesn't come from quality testing, a multitude of treatments, or even good diagnoses. It's a peace that comes from Him.

This peace is simply from this mother's heart leaning on Him. The Unfathomable. Uncontainable. Unstoppable. All Powerful. All Knowing. Savior. Redeemer. King. Yahweh. Adonai. LORD. Regardless of what news we get, He is unchangeable, and she is His. You see, I know the true battle of her heart has already been won.

So, before I pick her up to take her to this appointment, I will, again, call on Him. I will fall prostrate before Him and cry out on her behalf. And I'll know, all is well. Regardless.

Psalm 121


A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.



3 He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;



4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.



5 The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;



6 the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.



7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;



8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Linking up with Emily for Tuesdays Unwrapped.

multitude monday

As I soak up the gifts of today, I am so thankful that this faith in the Living God is devouring up my focus on the to-do list, and instead, allowing me to see the gift of the moment.
#1...the amazing blessing of hearing "mama" 8,679,543,678 times a day...all from the same little guy

#2...a quiet moment that allowed my quiet time to soak in

#3...a set of chocolate chip muffin hands & face to wipe down

#4...a daughter who's enjoying her 4th book of the day

#5...a little guy who calls every color "yewow" (yellow)

#6...the bible study that deepens my knowledge and love for His Word

#7...the laundry that reminds me that I have these precious little bodies to care for

#8...the laundry basket that can hold the laundry that can wait another day

#9...the little tikes trike, sidewalk chalk, electric car, and jump rope that are calling my name...because these littles can't wait another day

#10...knowing that the day will end in prayer over them...because I can.

Linking up w/ Multitude Monday today.

sick

Today, I woke up sick. Not the queezy tummy, sore throat, achey joints kind of sick. The kind of sick that comes from noticing truth that isn't erupting from my own life journey. The kind of sick that comes from seeing sin...acknowledging it with remorse and sorrow.

Yesterday, we had an amazing opportunity  to serve/make breakfast for the homeless in our community. Tinkle & I woke up early to "cook" sausage biscuits (it was frozen, but trust me when I say they wouldn't have wanted homemade biscuits from me). We watched several people come up, take the food with thanks, then leave. Each life had their own story...a story I don't know. Though I don't know their story, one family caught my eye and heart in an unshakeable way.

She came with her 4 children...2 boys...2 girls. The children gazing at the food unsure of what to choose. Polite. Not grabbing or claiming. Waiting patiently for someone to offer. The mom helped each child get their food & drink. But when we asked her what she wanted, in a fashion that is so true of a mother, she said, "I'm fine." It was more the tone in her voice. The one that any mother hears and knows. It was the kind that said, "I'm here for my children, not for me." After much encouragement, I think she finally got something for herself. Or maybe she took it for her children later. I don't know. But, in that moment, when one mother's heart spoke, it broke this mother's heart.

A heart broken because of noticing I've been too comfortable. And, just in case you're getting too comfortable, please, I urge you to take a peek here.

So, this faith journey is helping devour the cozy state of comfort. Eyes that only look at the world around me the way I want to see it. Yes, I was definitely getting too comfortable.

remarkable moment

joining Wordless Wednesdays

God is still speaking

while ebay is paying me nothing for this, if you happen to work for ebay, i'll gladly accept payment.
thank you and the end.

The adoption we feel led toward kindof feels like it's at a stand still at the moment.

I've thought about it so often, mostly with questions.

When?
Where?

And the question that has been weighing most heavily...
How will the finances come to allow it?

Lately, we've gotten lots of extra expenses flowing our way. Nothing to the point of unbearable, but rather, uncomfortable. Medical bills from Winkle's surgery, medical bills from my tests, upcoming fall clothes for the kids, bookbag, lunch box, and school supplies, continuing ed classes for me to keep my license, and the list goes on.

Some may see it as mere coincidence that these expenses began shortly after I began praying as to how God would open up the door for us financially to adopt. But here's the story God showed me...

Tinkle's book bag is too small for this year. I didn't want to go the cheap route & invest in a book bag that wasn't good quality only to have to purchase another one mid year. So, I began looking online, in magazines, & in the stores for "the" book bag. They aren't cheap. To be honest, it's not that we couldn't afford to buy the nicer book bag from the nicer store, but it wasn't an expense I wanted to add during this time. We try hard to live within our means & be good stewards of what the Lord has given us. This book bag came at a time I was questioning God. It came at a time where I was wondering how He would provide. Without being intentional about it, this book bag became a symbol of God's provision.

I have to be honest. I stressed over the book bag. Silly, I know. In the process of trying to find a cheaper alternative, I prayed, asked other's opinions on book bag quality, and asked others to be on the look out for me. Someone suggested I try ebay.

While ebay had a decent selection of book bags, finding the right size became difficult as all of them seemed to have monogrammed names already on them. Pre-monogrammed items has never been an option since Tinkle's name is not spelled the traditional way.

Type name brand, type "book bag".
Click.
Cute bag.
Good price.
Click.
Correct size.
Scroll down.
Already monogrammed...
with Tinkle's name...spelled the way she spells it.

While I know this may seem like a silly little story for some, I know God's hand was in it. While someone else ended up owning this book bag, this book bag was meant for Tinkle. Handpicked by Him. He was reminding me that He is in control. That He will provide. That He cares enough about the details, that He's spelling it all out for me.

For now, someone else may have this child, but this child was meant for our family. Handpicked by Him. He will provide. In His time. In His way.

Sunday, someone approached my husband & said he had a dream of a mission trip. We were there again with our family...but in this dream...we had another little girl.

So, today I'm thankful that God cares about the details of it all...down to a simple book bag. I'm linking up with Emily today for Tuesdays unwrapped.

being a mama

I am a mama to 2 kids. Seriously. Sometimes I wake up completely excited all over again. The pure
J. O. Y. of these little ones sends me over the moon in excitement.

Maybe it's the struggle to have children that keeps me immensely in love with them. Maybe it's the amazing relationship I have with my own mother that keeps me totally over the top for them. Maybe it's struggles I faced as a child that has me completely convinced I have it all now.

Or maybe...

maybe it's Him.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3

The relationship I have with Him now.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above James 1:17a

The way He keeps my eyes focused on His goodness.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11a

His blessings. Maybe that's what keeps me so smitten over them. Yeah...it's Him.

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!  2 Corinthians 9:15

Join me at Emily's as I thank God for this time in my life.