My friend is leaving next Saturday for 5 weeks. She and her husband are taking their 12 year old daughter and 3 year old son to the Ukraine where they will be adopting 3 preschoolers with Down syndrome. I am so amazed and inspired by their unbelievable act of faith that I am overwhelmed.
In the Ukraine, orphans with Down syndrome are sent to an institution if they are not adopted by the age of 5. Once in the institution, they are ineligible for adoption and usually die within a couple of years there. The children my friend is adopting are all 5 years old. Her family is literally saving the lives of these three children.
If any of you do not know who God is or what He is about, this is it. It's not about rules and regulations. It's not about judgements or condemnation. It's about love. It's about stepping out of our comfort zone and believing that we will be given the strength to do something amazing in the name of love that we would never be able to do (or maybe even want to do) on our own.
I've gotta tell ya... I haven't blogged in a while because I started this thing on a whim and then once it got rolling a little and a few people were reading on a regular basis I couldn't decide whether I had anything truly worthwhile to say or not. And to tell you the truth, I still don't know. But my friend emailed this evening to let us know they are leaving next weekend to take what I think may be the most incredible step of faith that anyone I know personally has ever taken. I know she will be blessed. God is so good and has blessed me already beyond anything I could ever deserve but I think there may be blessings that I forfeit because of my desire to remain safe within my comfort zone. Just writing that feels a little uncomfortable. But I don't want my life to be about playing it safe and missing the kind of beauty my friend is about to participate in.
When I used to perform (singing and dancing... don't laugh) we used to talk about "leaving it all out there" on the stage, not holding anything back. What would my life be if I let all of my faith, all of my love "out there"? What would God do through me?
Whoooaaa... Is this turning into a deep blog?
Maybe that's why I never seem to get my housework done. Not enough meaning in it for me. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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I have been asking myself these same questions recently. I'll often catch myself asking God why he isn't using me, etc. and then I'll be led to a post or scripture or article that seems to answer my question with a "are you really allowing yourself to be used?" And, the truth is, I don't think I am. So, here's to leaving it all out there.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I hope you decide to keep on posting. I think you have a unique point of view and your blog thus far is a welcome relief from some... well, its just a welcome relief.