Some Thoughts

 It's warming up here in Southern California, and it's been really nice out.

  Finley even gets to wear shorts and sandals, while exploring with mama and papa.

  Before we officially committed to Maya, God laid it strongly on our hearts that our "giving money" could not go to our adoption, and it was horrifying. 


I didn't even want to bring it up to Andrew how heavily God had laid it on my heart, cause then maybe we wouldn't have to.

But when I did, he was also timidly on board.  We prayed, "God show us what's right.  Everything we have we know if from you, show us how to give, show us where," quick and simple, we already felt better.  The more we discussed it, we knew the point of giving, is well, to give to others.   Allowing God to meet our needs.  We also knew that if we gave all our giving money to our adoption, it would just end up with us, and partly we would miss giving to others as it had been such a source of joy and excitement in our lives.  "If we give to the adoption, it would just be going to us, which isn't the point of giving," we both knew it was right, we had become resolved.  Then something happened.

Now don't get me wrong, still all of our other money is going to our adoption, it's just that we are sure that our tithe does not. 

So, that day, we gave to others, and we moved on.  We got a phone call 2 hours later. "Hey guys!" a friend from bible study, "Will you send me the link to Reece's Rainbow, we want to give to Maya before the end of the year,"  "Oh gosh, yes of course," I said as I looked at Andrew.  Oh my goodness, they donated more than we would have given that very same day.  THE VERY SAME DAY that God told us to give to others, He provided even more than what we would have hoarded and saved for ourselves out of fear, and distrust in God.  The same day we responded to God's direct leading, and gave to others, feeling like it could be such a mistake.

Sometimes God teaches us lessons over months and years, even decades.  But God has been so immediate in his lessons to us recently, and especially in guiding us with this adoption.  I am learning that if we each were to hoard our goods, our money, our time for ourselves out of fear, we would be missing out on so much of God's blessings, which are tangilble and intangible.  And as exciting, and relieving as tangible is, the intangible are the components to the life descibled in the bible; joy, peace and purpose.  A peace that trancends all understanding.
 

This month we were able to help students go on missions trips, help other adopting families, Los Angelitos Orphanage, North Coast, and in the mail we received 2 checks for our adoption from people we have NEVER even met, and won Star Baby...

I might just as well say it, I think God is good.  He is especially good when I am with it enough to actually listen and obey.  You'd think I'd totally trust him by now...