November 27, 2010

• Different Paths, One Team

   
  Well our Thanksgiving company just departed and its once again just the four of us. We had a lot of fun relaxing, eating, and playing games. A cold front came in yesterday, and stirred up the Christmas feeling in our house. Just in time too because we have a busy December coming up with lots and lots of activities.

       

  Camden telling me what he wants for christmas.
       

  I LOVE this next picture of Hope!! I think I might have to print it out!!

                                         

  I want to share something that has been on my mind lately, but I want to preface it by saying that I know that it is something that God has put on MY heart. It is personal. I get frustrated with people when they forget that what God has put on THEIR heart is not a universal commandment from Jesus to the entire body of believers. I try very hard to remember what is absolute truth (scripture) and what is personal conviction and specific direction for MY life. So as I share what is on MY heart, please do not be offended if it is not what God has put on YOUR heart. No one has the right to judge your calling. No one has the right to say that their calling should be yours.

  Not too long ago I heard two different people say that if you are truly pro life then you should have as many children as God desires to give you. Children are a blessing, life is sacred and God is in control of our life. To use birth control is to transfer control of your life out of God’s hands for purely selfish reasons. I wanted to  adamantly argue, but instead took a deep breath and reminded myself of what I’ve always believed about large families:
  God has called some couples to this beautiful and amazing way of life…this ministry….this example to the world.
  Having a large family exemplifies God’s heart for children, God’s desire for us to trust Him completely, God’s consistency to provide for those who follow Him, God’s plan for servant/leader fathers and diligent and nurturing mothers. It is truly an incredible calling.

  Their only fault (in my humble opinion) is when they believe that it is everyone’s calling. I think about what the church would look like if every Christian couple had as many children as sex (I mean God  ) would give them. I think about all the women in the church that do so much for the body of believers and out in the world who would not be able to do it if they had several children to raise. I think about the things in my life I would not be able to do if I had continued to have babies after Hope, and believe me – I’d have house full by now.  Certainly if God had laid it on our hearts to keep having children, it would have been a calling that I would be honored to accept. But Blake and I were lead down a different path. He called me to home school my two children. He called me to spend hours a week with the teenagers of my church and helping my worship/youth pastor husband in the ministry. He called me to build relationships with women in our church of all ages and stages of life. And now He has called me to something new. He has called Blake and I to adopt from Ethiopia. I am pro life. I believe that life is sacred and every baby is created by God and has a calling on his and her life. And the fact is 143 million children were given the gift of life, but now have no family to call their own. These millions and millions and millions of precious children need mommies and daddies to love them and tell them about Jesus. I am not called to continue to have my own as proof that life is sacred. He has called me to love one of those 143 million as proof that life is sacred. This is MY path. This is the way God is going to use ME to show His heart for children. And I am so very honored and so very excited. AND at the same time, I am so very supportive of all the women I know that God has called to different paths. Because we all need each other. This fallen, broken world needs us to all walk out our own calling in unity with each other not in competition. To ALL of my sisters in Christ, I love you and I admire you and I need you. I want to inspire and encourage you as you cheer me on, as I run my race and I, in turn, will be encouraged and inspired as I cheer you on as you run your race. We are each indiviually gifted and together we will be victorious!!

  • 4:06 pm
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