Making our way through it...

I haven’t talked a lot on here in details about us going into full time missions because honestly, we are still wading through a lot of the mud.

It was like this when we first decided to adopt- and each time after that. As questions, comments, and concerns from well meaning individuals all piled up- we had to wade our way through them.

One thing I am learning is that most people feel comfortable as long as we are just ‘lukewarm’ Christians. Lukewarm, as in, Christians who attend church and claim to know Jesus- and that's about as far as it gets. But the second you do anything radical like adopt a child of a different race or a child with special needs or announce that you are going to give up everything you have ever owned and move to another country to serve the Lord-they are not so comfortable with it anymore.

Why is that?

So far we have literally been disowned by one family member. We have endured the ‘you are crazy’ comment more than I can count. We have been told we have 'given up on Americans’ and asked why we would do this to our children. We have been told that we will regret it- with a few more "you are crazy" added in. We have been asked why we would even want to move to Guatemala and told flat out not to expect financial support from them. We have been told that "all missionaries do is beg people for their money" and mocked for saying the Lord has called us to the mission field.

Those who have walked this road before warned us that Satan would be working over time to try to stop us...

and they couldn't have been more right.

And yet each morning when I open my bible- I once again find confirmation. His words are crystal clear. I don't know how anyone could miss them.

In the worlds view it may not make sense for a family with 9 children to walk away from a good job and rely on God to be God and on his people to be God's people.

In the worlds view it may not make sense to live in a country where we could be putting our family at risk to help those who are at a greater risk.

In the worlds view none of it may make sense- but in God it is the way He intended all along...

to put others before ourselves, to follow him at all cost and to trust in Him alone.

But unfortunately this is so hard for most of us to understand as the world calls out to us louder and louder. Perhaps that is why the bible says the gates are narrow and only a few will pass through...

We have been brainwashed our entire lives by the lies of this world.

We are brain washed into thinking we have to be strong enough, good enough and smart enough and do it on our own.

We have been brain washed into thinking it's all about us.

We have been brainwashed into believing that money = security.

We have been brain washed that we can ‘control’ our lives and our futures if we make the right plans.

All lies.

Because the truth is, no matter who you are and how much money you have in your savings account or what plans you have put into place for your future- one thing you will never have control over in this life- is death.

You and I, we will die one day and there is nothing we can do to change or control that. Whether it be tomorrow in a car accident, 5 years from now from cancer or 15 years from now serving the Lord in a 3rd world country- when God says our time is over- it's over.

And one thing I can promise you is- I would WAY rather stand before the Lord broke, broken and exhausted from fighting the good fight- than stand before Him with my bank statement clutched tightly in the palm of my beautifully manicured hand.

We have been brainwashed, lied to and deceived-and at some point we are going to have to make a choice- believe the lies this world has told us...lies that cannot hold up over the test of time- or believe in Gods word- that are unchanged since the beginning of time.

You get to choose.

This morning as I was crying out to God for comfort, for confirmation and for strength this is what I read in the study notes from Philippians 1:20-21...

Read them and just for a second let them sink in…

“To those who don’t believe in God, life on earth is all there is, and so it is natural for them to strive for this worlds’ values, money, popularity, power, pleasure, prestige. For Paul, however, to live meant to develop eternal values and to tell others about Christ who alone, could help them see life from an eternal perspective. Paul's’ whole purpose in life was to speak out boldly for Christ and to become more like him. Thus, Paul could confidently say that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and he would see Christ face to face. If you’re not ready to die, then you are not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny: then you will be free to serve- devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death.”

So while the comments and questions sometimes sting- I simply cannot do the lukewarm Christians thing anymore. I.cannot.do.it. I cannot pick and choose the parts of the bible that are safe and convenient for me anymore. With God it’s an all or nothing kind of deal. No half way Christians, no middle of the road Christ followers, and no (as my son Keegan calls it) Christian Couch potatos. We have chosen to live out our faith and to give it all- regardless of the outcome. We are sold out. 100 percent committed and 100 percent on board- and I will no longer apologize if that makes people uncomfortable.

Yes we are definitely crazy- crazy in love with the God who gave us more than we could ever deserve.

As we begin to scrape this mud off our boots I will continue to share on here how amazing and faithful our God truly is.

And for those of you who have prayed for us, supported us and encouraged us- I cannot thank you enough. Through your genuine love of Christ and through your examples- we have the courage to keep moving forward.

For those of you who too are stuck in the mud somewhere because you too have chosen to truly live out your faith- I am here for you and I'd love to be able to pray for you.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 1 John 2:15-16