www.orphansunday.org has inspired us as adoptive parents and equipped us with resources and ideas to spread the word about the orphan crisis. Our home church invited us to speak during this Sunday that is being acknowledged around the world as "Orphan Sunday." If you haven't visited www.orphansunday.org, please do! It's not just about one Sunday, it's about the precious lives of God's children, the orphan, and the help we can be to them.
Below are the notes for the message that God spoke to my heart to share with the church body today:
Last year we shared during Orphan Sunday about the world-wide crisis with the statistics standing at 153 million orphans. But this year's numbers top 164 million children who are alone. We want to lift them up this day, pray for them, and may God stir our hearts to love them like He does. 164 million- this number is over half the population of the entire US. 164 million- a growing number that is too often ignored or passed along for someone else to take notice.
We shared about God's heart being compassionate for the orphan as Hosea 14 tells us "for in you alone, O Lord, the fatherless finds mercy." And Ps. 82:3 "Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute."
Today we'll share our adoption story and the stage we are in presently, and that is to wait. Well, "I can't wait!" I can't wait to meet to the children, bring them home, bring them here, and well, then another journey begins. The time is near though and God continues to show us many many treasures during this wait.
Waiting is hard. Really, we all are waiting for something: big news, a bonus, vacation days, or maybe it's that your children will just move past this difficult stage. Maybe it's a restoration of a broken relationship, the healing of an illness, or the results of a judge's decision- all that would change your life.
Waiting is hard, but we can find comfort in the wait by the hope we know in the Lord. Noah waited. Waited years for the rain to come. Mary waited- months to see that baby boy. Daniel waited. He waited for an answer from the Lord, for understanding of a vision he had concerning the future.
Daniel 10 tells us that a great angel came to Daniel. It says this: (end of verse 6) "His face like lightening, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude." ..9 Then he spoke to me, and I fell to the ground face downward in a deep faint. But a hand touched me and lifted me..to my hands and knees. 11 And I heard his voice - "O Daniel, greatly beloved of God," he said,"stand up and listen carefully to what I have to say, for God has sent me to you."...12"Your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil spirit blocked my way. Then Michael, came to help me, so that I was able to break through....14 Now I am here to tell you what will happen..." Daniel replies in 17 "How can such a person as I even talk to you? For my strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe." Then the one who seemed to be a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. "God loves you very much," he said; "don't be afraid! Calm yourself; be strong-yes, strong!"
The message to you today is this: You are loved. God sent this word for you to know how much he loves you and that He is at work during your wait. God hears you. The evils of this world or the distractions of our own hearts may complicate the path, but God has a plan. We have hope in this promise.
Through the wait, the end result may not be as we set out or would have dreamed up. When we wait, we look to the outcome- we want that end result. Our hope should be in the Lord, and we wait upon the Lord alone. Meaning that we don't stress over the outcome, but rest in the process. As we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. God works at our hearts and grows our relationship with Him here in the wait.
We wait through difficult times. The orphan waits too; Waits for a family, waits for love and care, waits for a meal, or for clean water. What hope do they call on? What proof has been shown in their lives that a loving God gives? We are their hope on this earth. We are His hands and feet sharing the gospel through the message of love. And though we may have to fight through the ways of this world, the oppositions, prejudices even to the orphaned child- Thought it may take time for our hearts to be opened and our hands to act.....
God calls us to love the orphan like He first loved us. Adoption is so close to the heart of God that that is what He has done to everyone of us who are His children.
Todd and MJ sang "Already There" by Casting Crowns today too. It was beautiful! Here's a pic.
Below are the notes for the message that God spoke to my heart to share with the church body today:
Last year we shared during Orphan Sunday about the world-wide crisis with the statistics standing at 153 million orphans. But this year's numbers top 164 million children who are alone. We want to lift them up this day, pray for them, and may God stir our hearts to love them like He does. 164 million- this number is over half the population of the entire US. 164 million- a growing number that is too often ignored or passed along for someone else to take notice.
We shared about God's heart being compassionate for the orphan as Hosea 14 tells us "for in you alone, O Lord, the fatherless finds mercy." And Ps. 82:3 "Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute."
Today we'll share our adoption story and the stage we are in presently, and that is to wait. Well, "I can't wait!" I can't wait to meet to the children, bring them home, bring them here, and well, then another journey begins. The time is near though and God continues to show us many many treasures during this wait.
Waiting is hard. Really, we all are waiting for something: big news, a bonus, vacation days, or maybe it's that your children will just move past this difficult stage. Maybe it's a restoration of a broken relationship, the healing of an illness, or the results of a judge's decision- all that would change your life.
Waiting is hard, but we can find comfort in the wait by the hope we know in the Lord. Noah waited. Waited years for the rain to come. Mary waited- months to see that baby boy. Daniel waited. He waited for an answer from the Lord, for understanding of a vision he had concerning the future.
Daniel 10 tells us that a great angel came to Daniel. It says this: (end of verse 6) "His face like lightening, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude." ..9 Then he spoke to me, and I fell to the ground face downward in a deep faint. But a hand touched me and lifted me..to my hands and knees. 11 And I heard his voice - "O Daniel, greatly beloved of God," he said,"stand up and listen carefully to what I have to say, for God has sent me to you."...12"Your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil spirit blocked my way. Then Michael, came to help me, so that I was able to break through....14 Now I am here to tell you what will happen..." Daniel replies in 17 "How can such a person as I even talk to you? For my strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe." Then the one who seemed to be a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. "God loves you very much," he said; "don't be afraid! Calm yourself; be strong-yes, strong!"
The message to you today is this: You are loved. God sent this word for you to know how much he loves you and that He is at work during your wait. God hears you. The evils of this world or the distractions of our own hearts may complicate the path, but God has a plan. We have hope in this promise.
Through the wait, the end result may not be as we set out or would have dreamed up. When we wait, we look to the outcome- we want that end result. Our hope should be in the Lord, and we wait upon the Lord alone. Meaning that we don't stress over the outcome, but rest in the process. As we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. God works at our hearts and grows our relationship with Him here in the wait.
We wait through difficult times. The orphan waits too; Waits for a family, waits for love and care, waits for a meal, or for clean water. What hope do they call on? What proof has been shown in their lives that a loving God gives? We are their hope on this earth. We are His hands and feet sharing the gospel through the message of love. And though we may have to fight through the ways of this world, the oppositions, prejudices even to the orphaned child- Thought it may take time for our hearts to be opened and our hands to act.....
God calls us to love the orphan like He first loved us. Adoption is so close to the heart of God that that is what He has done to everyone of us who are His children.
So can we
wait? Yes, we can for this is the time
for God to show himself to us. As
Daniel's angel said, "God loves you very much," he said;
"don't be afraid! Calm yourself; be strong-yes, strong!"
Todd and MJ sang "Already There" by Casting Crowns today too. It was beautiful! Here's a pic.
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