What they need

What do they need - orphans that is. If you are like me when posed with the question "Can I adopt" you think "how will we pay to educate them, raise them, do family vacations, save for retirement, ect". I get caught up in the lifestyle I want to live and what I want to provide to the children in my home. This is Satan's snare. It is so easy to rationalize why it is ok to want all these things. The deal is none of those things in and of themselves are sinful or wrong. It becomes sinful when that is what rules our life and decisions. In James 4 it says

"Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why you do not even know what will happen tomrrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.........Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

This verse tells us first "To listen" and then poses the question "what is your life". As a believer I know that God should define my life. But I am a sinner and often fall way short. I like to define my life. My heart tells me, my culture tells me, my wealthy county -tells me that my desires are reasonable they are good, but in my heart I know that it is not true. I really desire a Christian education for my kids and would then like to pay for their college- sounds ok, right? Sure there is nothing wrong with that. Problem is private school is expensive and so is college. More kids you have more money it cost. So what is the answer? Change expectation and change the life of an orphan or keep desire. When we decided to adopt the 4th time we knew we were changing all of our kids future education. We certainly can't put them all in private school and college loans are in their future. I think all my kids will be ok with this. They would choose Maggie and Corinne.

When we adopt Maggie I would sit at Breakfast at our hotel and look around at all the children with their new families being adopted. I kept thinking there is not one child who would say "Well if you can't put me in private school, or pay for college, or give me my own bedroom then forget it I would rather be an orphan". In an orphans world that sounds ridiculous but in safe little Williamson county we call it being reasonable.

In China our Maggie wasn't being raised in material wealth. But She was being raised in a wealth of love. It is so evident in her pesonality, security, and self esteem. Below are photos of her house of love. Doesn't look like much. Just a good reminder of what it takes to raise up a child that will one day call Jesus Lord and Saviour. There are so many children that need a home please consider praying if God is calling your family to adopt.

Kitchen

Bedroom for 4

Den

No fancy dryers here

A Yard to play in that requires a wonderful imagination due to lack of toys

Results are in the next photo. 2 orphans lives forever changed because the Father comes first in this amazing community in Ch...