Walking in Faith...

I have noticed lately when people hear we are adopting the fabulous five (after exclaiming we are crazy of course- but I’ll save that for a different post) that a biggest question we getting is “Your husband must make a ton of money- and how big is your house?” I am here to tell you that while yes we are blessed by a steady job with a good company (we love you 3M!!) we do NOT own a huge, fancy, expensive house and we are NOT loaded with money... we are loaded with FAITH.
Faith that when our God calls- he will provide.
And he has.
He does.
Always.
I think so often we are frozen from doing God’s work because we cannot see the whole picture and that scares us. The amount in the bank, the numbers on the monthly budget- do not add up. It seems impossible, overwhelming. I know, I've been there. But I also know that our God is all powerful- and that is not just a cliché. God doesn’t need our money- He owns everything already. I have learned that when God calls you to do something it is often the exact thing that most people would run from because in our human minds it ‘cannot be possible’. But with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. I know you’ve heard that before- but ARE YOU LIVING LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT? I’ve asked it before but I will ask it again today- ARE YOU LIVING A LIFE THAT PROVES YOU TRUST YOUR GOD? Or, are you living your life according to how your check book balances? I also know what you are probably thinking as you read those words… something along the lines of ‘but you don’t know our situations’… or that may work for some people but not us. No. I am here to tell you. God IS ALWAYS faithful when you are doing His work.
You see, God wants the credit. He wants to do the work. He wants us to know that we are not doing something because WE can. Not because WE are qualified, educated, or good. He wants the credit. HE DESERVES THE CREDIT- WE do not. He wants to work through us. He wants to provide what we need. He wants us to look to Him- seek Him, trust Him.
So no, we do not have a six digit income or a huge house. We have a huge faith. We have a huge God. We trusted God would provide and He has...

~God provided a Christian man from our church who was willing to add onto our house for practically nothing. This man, Dave, was God’s hands and feet. In him we saw Jesus.
~God directed the path for me to meet my amazing friend Kellie (who I trusted with my most prized possessions- my kids) and provided in her a sitter I could trust because our families live 13 hours away. She came armed with plastic dishes, made us dinner, blessed us with a generous gift card and loved on my kids while I was gone. She was God’s hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided a church family full of Christian men and woman along with a pastor who love the Lord and were willing to be God’s hands and feet and paint our home, put together bunk beds and move furniture at a moments notice. In them we saw Jesus.
~God provided a group of ladies from a church in Grabill, Indiana who sent us a generous gift card to Walmart to purchase things needed for our new kids. These woman were wiling to be God’s hands and feet through their willing hearts. In them we saw Jesus.
~God provided me with precious friends who understand our hearts, understand we will stumble and know the exact time when we needed them to send me a verse from scripture or a prayer. They were willing to be God’s hands and feet. In them we saw Jesus.
~God provided the exact item we were needed on sale that day at the store. We saw Jesus.
~God provided an amazing, supportive adoption community of friends who pulled together and gave us a Virtual baby shower so that we could purchase bunk beds and many more needed for our new kids. They were willing to be God’s hands and feet. In each of them we saw Jesus.
~God provided a woman I have never met named Shannon who donated her baby bed and new sheets for the baby. She was willing to be God’s hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided a friend through adoption named Phyllis who drove out of her way to bring us a car seat and support us when. She was willing to be God’s hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided a wonderful friend named Heather who I adore because I can talk honestly to and bounce thoughts off of without feeling judged. She blessed us with a generous gift cared to Target to purchase things for our kids. She was willing to be Gods hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided a gift card from a woman I had never met to purchase pillows from Bed, Bath and Beyond. She was willing to be God’s hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~ God provided a friend named Elizabeth with a heart for orphans who uses her creativeness to create cards and donated some of her profits to us. She was God's hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided a Godly woman who I look up to named Kim who also blessed us with a generous gift card- which we were able to purchase the kids new comforters. She was willing to be God’s hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~ God provided a friend named Kacie who used her talents and made at least a hundred beautiful hair bows for our girls and mailed them to us !She was willing to be God's hands and feet. In her we saw Jesus.
~God provided gift card after gift card from friends from Barnebettes, clothing, high chair, mattresses, toys, etc- all through people who were willing to be God’s hands and feet. In them we saw Jesus.
~God provided us with families with who love and support us, even if they do not always agree with us. They are willing to open their hearts, their homes for the rest of their lives to love these children as their own flesh and blood. They are willing to be God’s hands and feet. In them we saw Jesus.
~God provided me with amazing, supportive, understanding friends who cheer us on and comfort us when needed. They are willing to be God's hands and feet. In them we saw Jesus.

This is all through people who love the Lord and have faith that there is something more than just living an ordinary life. And while I hesitated to write all of these blessings in fear of forgetting some one- I wanted people to see for themselves. It’s not about US being good enough, it’s not about us having it all planned out- or having a huge chunk of money piled in our laps- it’s about us TRUSTING GOD to provide when He calls. And while yes we need to use the brains God gave us- we also need to not be afraid to take that first step of faith. I am not expecting nor am I proclaiming that things will always be easy. We might have to go without sometimes- but big deal. What we have- our children, our family, our friends-and serving our God is more important to me than lavish vacations and brand new cars any day!!! What we are doing is more important to me than wearing name brand clothing and eating out every day. What we are teaching our children is priceless. Worth a whole more than the latest Play station game. What our children will inherit is an example of living a Godly life. They will learn to find joy in serving, happiness in seeing others happy- even if that means them going without. Yet more importantly they will discover contentment in who they are. And there is nothing better than that.
So, I'll ask you one more time... are you living your life that proves you trust your God?