I serve The Great Encourager!

I planned to blog, recognizing that it has been quite a while since I have done so, but needed to make a quick phone call first.  Per normal, the quick phone call turned into a much longer conversation discussing things that I did not intend to talk about: adoption costs and expenses.  I got off the phone feeling quite discouraged which is exactly opposite from where I was before the conversation.  Isnt that just the way Satan likes to play us?  He takes our excitement and joy, spits on it and turns it to mud.  Arg.  But, The Great Encourager is ALWAYS faithful to turn that around when we seek Him!  Yay, God!!  Today's devotional was all about the power of the Spirit, reminding us that it is not human strength or power that accomplishes His will; it is the Spirit.  Zechariah 4:6 - So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts."

So, I am going to reset my heart through His Spirit and still share my excitement! (Thank you, Jesus, for being so faithful!!!)  This past weekend, Eman and I went up to our church ranch for a mini ministry retreat.  It was really neat.  Each pastor took a turn teaching on different aspects of ministry - all of them made me reflect on the ministry of adoption.  I am not able to verbalize all of what took shape in my heart, but everything combined created the perfect storm (liberally coated by my crazy hormones) when we got home Saturday night.  Poor Eman got the brunt of my crazy.  ;)  (Again, I am so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness - He has paired me with a man that loves me through that crazy!)  At the end of my tearful evening, we were able to meet in the middle of how we are approaching the big mountain of fees.  The gist of it all is this:  I am very works oriented - I really struggle sitting back and allowing the Lord to work.  I am always coming up with different ideas of what WE can do to raise funds.  Eman, on the other hand, has had MANY opportunities for the Lord to provide for his needs and is willing and able to sit back and let the Lord work.  He is also anti-fundraisers, to an extent, because it forces us to be out in the public eye, most likely being ridiculous.  Eman has had his fill of ridiculous doing many years of Young Life and hanging out with high schoolers. 

Sunday morning, I told Eman that I still wanted to do something, but that I wanted to use the skills that the Lord has given each of us.  I really enjoy sewing and Eman is an artist (who knew, right?!).  Eman agreed that we should use our skills and time.  I was so excited that we were on the same page with a plan!  We received some adoption money in the mail that we are using as "seed" money to purchase some supplies.  I will be sewing some little girl dresses and skirts and Eman will help me create some art work.  We are going to create a page on FB that will be dedicated to showing off our projects (it isnt set up yet, but will be called Bringing Naomi Home).  My goal is to double the amount that we got in the mail, if the Lord blesses our efforts with more than that, sweet.

Yesterday, I had a friend offer to grow plants for me to sell and today, I had another friend text me a fundraising idea.  What is interesting, is I had presented this idea to Eman a few weeks ago, prior to the Lord mashing both of our hearts, and he thought it was LAME!  Today, I showed him the thread of texts and he seemed more open to it.  Isnt it funny how the Lord changes our opinions?  It really is ALL in the timing.

This all brings us to this afternoon - I was so excited and encouraged to have friends come around me to support what we are doing!  I am certainly blessed!  The Lord brought this passage to mind: "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to  you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For after all these thing the Gentiles seek.  For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But see first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."  Matthew 6:28-34

I love that the Lord knows our EVERY need and wants to provide for us!  All we need to do is ask - but what is even more cool is He knows BEFORE we ask!  I serve The Great Provider too!