What's next, Papa?

I feel like I have fallen off of the blogging planet!  It has been a very long time, as I find myself journalling more and typing less.  

Our lives seem to be taking a turn, a curve in the road....in a direction I was never certain we would actually go.  We have begun the journey to ADOPTION.  My husband and I have always considered this, never knowing when the timing would be right.  Not knowing where to adopt from, either locally or overseas, when is the best time for our existing four children, etc, etc.

Well, now seems to be the right time!  Our kids are currently 11, 10, almost 9 (in 2 months) and 7 and have been urging us to bring more kids into our family!  We are looking to adopt a sibling group through the Ministry of Children and Family Development here in BC.  This could mean so many things!!  There are so many different parameters to set, decisions to make as far as what kinds of issues we are willing to deal with, how old the kids will be, how many....

And this is where God steps in and lets us know that He is leading us forward.  Because the children that I cannot get out of my mind, the children that I am anxious to bring home forever, the children whom I have never seen and have no more information about them than a brief profile of on the internet, are in a sibling group of FOUR.  Yes, FOUR.  Oh, Lord, what are you THINKING?!? Do you realize this will DOUBLE my family size overnight?!!

Their current ages are 6, 4, 2 1/2 and 18 mos.  Three boys and the baby is a girl.  

SO many thoughts run through my mind all the time about them!  Can we do this?  Why are they in care? Can we handle the issues that come?  Do I remember how to parent toddlers?  How will this all work out? What if , what if, what if????!!? 

And God says, "Do you trust me?"  

God says, "You weren't perfect when I brought you into My family...I loved you WITH all of your issues!"

God says, "If this is My plan, how can you go wrong?"

God says, " I will give you the capacity to love beyond what you ever thought possible."

He says a lot of things!! :D

He equips us for everything He asks of us.  Every day we walk in God's grace, love, peace, freedom, wisdom, guidance, protection.  

I have been reading from the Message bible, and love the way some things are put.  In 1 Cor. 13:12-13 it says,

 "We don't YET see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But it WON'T BE LONG before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!......but as for right now.... TRUST STEADILY, HOPE UNSWERVINGLY, LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY.." (emphasis mine)

Trust, hope, love.  But not just that!  Steadily....Unswervingly....EXTRAVAGANTLY!! No holds barred, jumping in with both feet, excited for adventure!

And why can we do this?

Not from our flesh, not from our natural mindset. (Because really, who in their RIGHT MIND would do this??!)

We do this by opening up our hands and our hearts, handing over to God what we have to give, and trusting him to give it back to us in a form that He finds useful.  

Just like Moses with his staff, just like the disciples with the loaves and fishes.  Lay it down, and let Him work!  A good friend of ours preached on this very thing a few weeks ago (thanks, Jimmy!) and it still resonates with me. What is in your hands? God has given us gifts to use for His Kingdom, for His glory...what are we doing with them?

"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.  It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, "what's next, Papa?"  Rom. 8:15

And once you ask, be ready to embrace the challenge of the answer!

This life does not belong to us.  We are here with one purpose: to serve the Father, to further His kingdom, to be His hands and feet.  No matter what.

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground.  And don't hold back.  Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

1Cor. 15:58

Looking forward to this new adventure,

One day at a time,

Darcie.