Saturday, August 15, 2009

I received an email the other day from a sweet girl who is in the process of adopting right now. She had written about how this adoption was such a huge step of faith for her family- how coming up with the money was so terrifying because in the past they had gotten ‘burned’. She went on to explain that a few years back she had gone on a missions trip with her church and how she had worked and worked to fund raise. As the trip approached, people kept telling her not to worry- God would provide. And yet when the time came for them to leave for the trip- she was still short on part of the money she needed to go. The church she attended let her go anyway because they had witnessed how hard she had worked- and yet to this day, remembering how that had happened, left her feeling disappointed and hurt. Her faith had been shaken to the very core.


So what happens when God doesn’t come through and why doesn’t He sometimes? I know I, for one, have had those exact thoughts in the past-especially as we embarked on this new adoption journey. And I know of others who are afraid to take that first step of faith as well. So this got me to thinking... where was God when this happened? Why did this happened?


This is what I discovered…


God didn’t fail her. He never fails us.


And she didn't fail either.


She did indeed go on the missions trip just as God had called her to do. He saw her heart and He saw her willingness and that is all that truly matters. She heard God calling her, had a heart to serve Him, and a heart to serve others. She worked hard, she stepped out of her comfort zone. She spend time and energy on something other than her own personal ‘needs’. She was willing. She told God she would go- and she did.


So what did happened? What went wrong?


We did.


You see, I believe we are all called to sometimes be ‘goers’ and sometimes be ‘senders’. In this instance- the ‘senders’ failed her. The failed to do their job- they failed to support her. This is why I believe it is so important that we are all in this together. Being a sender if every bit as important as being a goer. We can't all go on every missions trip- some of us will never be able to go at all. We cannot all adopt every child- some of us will never be able to adopt at all. But we all play a very important part. We are all called.


I am going to be honest and admit that there have been times when I saw a need- saw a chance to be a part of something God was involved in- and didn’t act. Perhaps I was preoccupied with my own ‘missions work’. Perhaps I forgot, or got busy. Perhaps I just thought someone else would do it- or I just chose, out of my own selfishness, to ignore the need. Perhaps I chose not to make God’s priorities my priorities- and simply focused on ME.


Ugly huh?


When we claim Jesus as our personal savior we become a part of the body and we are to work together in all areas. And yet often we don’t. Often times we look out of our own little window of life and become caught up in our desires, our plans and our dreams-and we missing being a part of the bigger picture. We miss the blessing of being a part of something BIG for God’s kingdom because we are too consumed with our own world. One of my all time favorite lyrics in a song is from In the Blink of an Eye, By MercyMe . It goes like this (sing it with me now) "How can I further your Kingdom when I’m so wrapped up in mine?” That one line says it all.

We can’t further His kingdom when all we care about is ours. We need to be willing to invest ourselves and our lives into others whether Gods asks us to do that through prayers, words of support, giving of our time, or financially

.

God asked our family to be 'goers'. We are blessed to get to ‘go’ to Africa and bring home a child and adopt them as our own. But I also know God wants our family to be a ‘senders’. We are giving all that we can to be a ‘part’ of the bigger picture- a part of His plan.


What about you? Where does God have you right now- and are you listening?


Remember just investing one dollar, one prayer, or one word of encouragement truly does make a difference in the life of someone else.


God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you... may provide in abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8


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15 comments:

Holly said...

Yes! Amen!!!!!!! I was just telling a friend today that it is frustrating that we are lacking "senders"...though I didn't use that word.
May the Lord stir the hearts of His children to give, send and equip the called!!!!

Laurel said...

WONDERFUL post!


Laurel

Audrey said...

Great post Amy. You are so right, being a goer doesn't mean that we can't also be senders. When we start training teams for mission trips, one of the first lessons is on the goer-sender-receiver triangle. I feel bad for the girl who didn't get her funding in. I've had happen on my teams, too. It isn't a failure of God though, as you pointed out, but rather a failure on our part to do our part.

Love your heart!!
A

Unknown said...

I wish you could see my face as I read this post!

I wish you could hear my voice as I say I love you!

I wish you could look into my heart and know that I know that I know every word you wrote is of HIM!

Amy - sometimes when we get so close to Him nothing else feels right!

Nothing feels like it can possibly matter more than being right there with Him!

Nothing else compares to being with the ONE who died for us and paid for our lives!

This world and all it has to offer is tragic!

But what He has to offer is greater than anything our eyes can see, our hands can touch or our hearts can feel!

He is our EXCEEDINGLY GREAT REWARD!

He will NOT ever fail us!

AMEN! We FAIL Him - sadly every single day when we make any given moment about us and not all for His glory!

Praising Him how He continues to align our hearts as one.

My words today match this post so closely in spirit - that I am going to share a link so others can be blessed by Him through you as well!

I love you Amy!

Oh Lord, please let us meet and dance together in Africa one day!

BIG BIG BIG HUGS!
Jill

The gFamily said...

Just had TWO amazing sermons this morning! You are teaching me so much! I love it! I love you!!

Sha Zam- said...

The gratitude I feel for finding your blog and for the movement it stirs in me- is not easy to put into language. Truly, THANK you. you are helping me to further my understanding and mature my faith in God. This maturing is leaving me more confident in my call to adopt, myself. Thank YOU!

Wendy said...

I thought when we found out that we would never bring our sweet daughter home from Guat that God had failed us. I was devastated and angry. But then I realized. He didn't fail, I just misunderstood the plan. I thought I was meant to be her mother, but instead I was just God's tool to save her life. I heard his voice loud and clear when I rushed to Guatemala to nurse her back to health after she had been horribly abused. I was there to insure she got the medicines she needed, the therapies, the new foster home where she was safe, loved and nurtured. I made a difference in her life. Sometimes it's not about what we want, but it is just as important.

Kelly said...

Hi Amy...came across your blog in another blog I read. I've enjoyed reading many of your entries. I love your heart and your honesty.. thank you for what you are doing for another family. I am moving to Ethiopia in less than 3 weeks to work with orphans..it takes us all...we can't be still any longer.

Kelly

Jenny said...

AMEN AMEN AMEN....OMG...CAN I SAY IT AGAIN...AMEN AMEN AMEN!!! I love that...if we were all just willing to help...even if it were the smallest amount....but daily...just help! There would be so much less unhappy people in this world!

Melinda said...

Love this! So true! We can definitly do both and sometimes we are just called to do one, either send or go. Either way we need to be still and hear His voice. He is speaking, we just can't hear Him sometimes through all the noise.
Every little bit someone gives makes a difference. It can be $1, $5, $10, whatever the amount God will use it and bless it. I always say the best thing you can do when you are fundraising yourself is to give to others, God honors a giving heart. We are a testament to that. Praying that many, many people join in to be a blessing not only to the family you have decided to help, but all the countless other's that have decided to step out in faith and follow God's call and adopt a child.

kitzkazventure said...

Great post! I wrote one along this same line of thinking this week too! We just need to encourage people not to stop at adopting...not everyone is called to adopt but we are ALL called to orphan care. I just love how you expressed it all...God has blessed us thru your words! Your posts are always so thought and action provoking! :)

CHEPAC said...

amazing post! I have thought this so many times (although not nearly as articulately!) We are all called to take care of the least of these! darc

the Matt family said...

so glad your very wise insight into my story was able to breathe life and excitement into others' lives. you are a very passionate writer that makes me wanna get up and do something!!

Shonni said...

What a wonderful post...we have also been disappointed, many times by other Christians and family. It does hurt to have others not value what we are doing; to even tell us we shouldn't because we can't afford it. At times it was a feeling of "you don't have the money, and God hasn't miraculously dropped it out of the sky, so you must not be doing the right thing..."
I have been so thankful for finding others through the blog world who share our passion for living radically for the LORD, stepping out in faith,and supporting each other through it.
May I link back to this post. Others really need to hear this message!

the Stork Nest said...

Wonderful and right on! your family is beautiful!