Friday, August 7, 2009

What could you live without?

Awhile back I was sitting in a new class that we had just begun at our church. The instructor was doing one of those ‘getting to know you’ types of deals where they go around the room and each person has to tell something about themselves. I remember him asking us to ‘tell the one thing that was most important to us in the world- the one thing we could not live without- but it couldn’t be God or family- because everyone would say that- it was a given”.

There was a quiet hush around the room, you literally see could see people pondering their thoughts, searching desperately in their minds or something- the one thing- they couldn’t live without.

What about you?
What is THE one thing you couldn’t live without besides God or your family?

Go ahead, take your time…

Think about it for a minute…

Now I truly hope some of you are not thinking your mascara or your blackberry… if so, I give up.

Perhaps some of you are thinking 'food and shelter'…

That is a good answer…. Those are things you cannot live without- yet every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

Which got me to thinking even more….

Food, shelter, family, God…

If it is a given that family and God are the ONE thing that we Christians realize we do not want to live without -and food and shelter are another thing we know without question we cannot live without- then why is it that if we know these things- only 34% OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES CONSIDER ADOPTING and ONLY 1% OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES ACTUALLY DO??

In the past, we have actually had one pastor laugh at us and say we were crazy for spending so much money on an adoption…

In the past we have had another pastor tell us that the church doesn’t get involved with adoptions or they would have to help everyone…
How can this NOT be a priority for the church?? How can it not be a given that we should be concentrating on these things? Because we can preach the gospel until we turn purple, but until people have their immediate needs met, until people actually witness Christs love they will not be able to believe the truth.
So what's stopping us?

Is it because it is a inconvenience?
Is it because we are afraid?
Is it because it is too much work?
Is it because it might cost us something?
Is it because we might have to make a sacrifice?
Isn't that exactly what Jesus did for you?

And are you willing to stand in front of God one day and tell him that?

I once read this quote from Mahatma Gandhi and it broke my heart... He wrote:
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
That is something that I would like to change...
And it needs to start now, today.

I want you to know that I do realize that I am probably preaching to the choir here…
I am quiet positive that most of you who stop by my blog already have a heart for adoption...
You ARE doing something besides shaking your head, mumbling how unfortunate for them and then looking the other way.
This was so obvious to me after the AMAZING comments I received after my last post.
But just in case... just in case -as in God not 'google' led you here- and you have felt God stirring your heart towards adoption...
What’s stopping you? (and if it’s the money, go get that pickle jar!!!)

If only 7 percent of the 2 billion Christians in the world would care for a single orphan in distress, there would effectively be no more orphans”.

21 comments:

Cari said...

Wow...I LOVE this post. I hope you don't mind but I would like to post a link from my blog to this post. More people need to hear this. I find it very frustrating to read the responses of those pastors...are you kidding me?!! I just don't get it.

My husband and I starting the current journey of our 2nd adoption this past fall. We had no money for the adoption and felt God tugging at our hearts to sell my husband's paid off 2003 truck. We stepped out on faith and sold the truck. We purchased a very used 1991 car and used the rest of the money to start the adoption. Six months later, my husband's job position changed within his company and now gives him a monthly bonus (that we set aside for the adoption) in addition to his base pay and a monthly car allowance. PRAISE THE LORD!!! We still waiting to be "matched" and continue to save for this adoption. I'm so glad that we followed God's "tugging".

Andrea said...

Darn I was going to say my mascara! ;o) Just kidding!!! Thank you for this post....thought provoking!
Blessings to you and your pickle jar!!! ;o)

Audrey said...

I love your heart Amy! Being a Christ-follower is so different from being a Christian. Saying YES to the whispers of God is hard at first but it does get easier. The thrill of participating in God's plan is something that I cannot get enough of these days! It's a fantastic rollercoaster ride with incredible highs and devastating lows and every single minute of it is so WORTH IT!!!

I'm already plotting - um, I mean planning - my next adoption LOL. I will be getting my pickle jar out as soon as we get back from bringing home Z - leaving on Sunday!!!

Unknown said...

Oh Amy, this is so true! I read your post yesterday and my computer died on my before leaving a comment. Now this! WOW! I can't believe how many comments I have heard from Christians saying, "I could never do that." Well, if you love God, NOTHING is impossible with HIM! How I wish others knew what they were missing. With our 1st adoption we saw the money issue and instead chose to adopt through CPS-and wow have we been blessed! This time God has been amazing in providing the finances that we DID NOT have at all! Check out my blog to see our garage sale fundraiser-it was incredible! God is so faithful if we will just take those baby steps.

angie said...

I agree with you 100%! While sitting on my porch, I have often looked down my street and thought how awesome it would be if each family would take in just one child.

I love your heart Amy and I want your address so I can send you guys some money for your pickle jar! love u!

Barry and Amy said...

That closing statistic almost makes me cry every time I read it.

Dear God please convict your children concerning the fatherless!!

Unknown said...

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

Love you precious friend!
Jill

TheHappyNeills said...

Hey Amy, I'd like to link to this post. Where is the statistic from (34% - 1%)? Thanks!

Gardenia said...

thank you for this post. you really have a way of putting it all out there, with thoughtful words. oh if only that 7 percent ... .

Holly said...

You know what my answer was?
"clean water"
Do you know how many millions live without that...and die without that?
While we let our clean water run down the drains not even appreciating it one little bit. Annoyed if it has to be turned off for 30 minutes for some plumbing work the city is doing.
Annoyed if it isn't hot enough fast enough when we're showering in the morning.
We are so blessed.
WHY are we so blessed? Is it because God loves us best? He just poured out all these blessings into our laps so we can keep them all to ourselves.
NO WAY?
We have been blessed in order that we might be able to be a blessing to others!!
Our church also has declined to help families with adoption because the church is so big and all.
yeah.
What we all need is a good dose of reality. A good dose of...it's not about me after all. What? Shocking isn't it? And we might all say that we KNOW it isn't about us but we don't live it.
I'm preaching to me here too!
What could we do as believers if we stood together to eradicate orphanages? Wow.
Keep speaking the truth in love sister.

Anonymous said...

We'll donate to the pickle jar just as soon as we get to Texas this fall.

Love you for what you are doing too

Mom and Dad

natali said...

i love this post!!

Anonymous said...

My husband and I have been praying about adoption, and like you, have no idea where the money will come from. The finances of an adoption are overwhelming, but not somthing that should keep us from trusting God, right? I made my husband read your pickle jar post, and we've decided to start our own jar. We don't plan to start the adoption process for another couple years as we just had our first baby, but what a great, constant reminder that pickle jar will be. Thank you for blessing us with your words of challenge and encouragement.

Andrea Hill said...

Amy, so amazing. People need to pay you money to read your stuff, heehee. Its so good. Just hinting to your adoption jar:) That was a deep post. I had no idea that the percentage of adoptions were so small.

Allie Garcia said...

First, you are my hero. Your authentic faith is seldom, even in the blog world, and I am grateful that there are God-fearing women like you in the world who can set an example for the next generation. I'm 23, and my heart burns for adoption. My husband's does not. We are not ready for kids, but I have already promised him that just as God has made my heart for adoption, God will reshape his too. We will have financial means sometime in the next five years. I guess all i'm asking for is prayer. It has been heavy on my heart recently to start praying fervently for a change in my sweet husband's heart toward adoption. Thank you for being awesome.

~ Lisa @ AbidingThere~ said...

Fabulous post. Very well stated! I'm going to email the link to a few people.

xo, the choir :)

Bethany said...

Wow, those statistics are just eye opening! I've always wanted to adopt and cannot wait until I'm old enough...not long now! There are SO many kids that need loving homes.

Unknown said...

Another Amazing job God did thru you here, Amy! Could you take over my blog plz :0)

Recovering Noah said...

Okay, just assume that every comment I leave is going to start with.. "Oh Amy, I love your heart."

As I was reading your post, I was thinking, "What can I not live without." And it's Noah. Could.Not.Live.One.Day.Without.Him. And he came to us through adoption. And it's messy, and heartbreaking, and I still grieve, and still worry over his future. But I could not live in a world where he didn't exist.

I just wish more people knew how profoundly life-changing adoption can be.

Thanks for advocating so strongly!

Anonymous said...

We've adopted 2 internationally and 2 through the foster care system.

I love your heart Amy, we are in the process of being led by Christ to be proactive about educating others about adoption, perhaps an adoption ministry through our church... we shall see.

Anyway, I see, all too often, people talking about the insane costs of adoption, yet they don't consider domestic adoptions.

When God calls you to adopt somewhere specific, you must obey. I'm speaking of people who say they want to adopt but it's too expensive... when in fact, when you adopt through the foster care system it's free, in fact, adopting families receive a subsidy.

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this. I am going to utilize this thought process for our ministry in some way - it is very powerful. Thank you so much for sharing.

Kelly said...

I love your post! AMEN!

I read through your comments, hope you don't mind. Your mom and dads comment made me cry! When you don't have that, your heart cries out for it. But... onward! Gods heart is for the orphan as is ours.

I often think of 1 John 3:16-18. In this verse it does not say give out of our abundance, but give if you have ENOUGH! There is such a difference!

Thanks for posting!