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Friday, October 16, 2009
Obedience Trumps Worst Case Scenario
I have the most amazing family. I grew up in a home where my mom and dad love each other, put each other first, and keep Christ in the center of their marriage. At the time, I just thought that everyone had a family like mine. As time passed, I realized that is not the case. My family is actually rare, AND I HAD NO IDEA. I have spoken of my husband and how perfect he is for me. The first time I went to meet his family, I could not believe it... THEY ALL HUG WHEN YOU WALK IN THE DOOR! I thought that only happened at my house. The first of MANY things that our families have in common. God being the first and foremost of importance in both homes...RARE. It is because of our families that Mike and I were able to go to Uganda together for two weeks and leave our six children behind...RARE. A BIG ole thanks to Mom, Susan, MaMa Gaye , and Dana for loving my children so well while we were away. My Dad's motto has always been "you can't let circumstances control you". He spoke that to us on a daily basis, and it has stuck with me through the years. In different scenarios (flat tire, car breaking down, sick kids etc...)I have LITERALLY spoken it ALOUD to myself or to my children and Mike. What a optimistic way to walk through life. What a positive perspective for me to have seen role modeled daily. What a blessing my family is.
When Mike and I were praying about adopting Josie Love, we were filled with a mixture of emotions. We were trying to figure out what our lives would be like with a "special needs" child and six other children. Logistically speaking, how is this REALLY going to work? I found myself speaking optimistically to most people because I could tell by the look on their faces that they thought I had lost my mind for EVEN thinking about another child. Which leads me to my mother's motto "your children are the ONLY thing that you can take to heaven with you". Boy, I have used that saying MANY times out of frustration with people that think I actually CARE what THEY think about how large my family is. After the first few children, peoples faces just start glazing over, it's quite comical actually! (that is another post in itself) One day Mike and I were mentally processing Josie's adoption with some dear friends. On this particular day, I was not speaking very optimistically. I was trying to figure out what my life was going to REALLY look like....which is HYSTERICAL to me now. My friend (Rachel) said "Just remember...OBEDIENCE TRUMPS WORST CASE SCENARIO" how those words have rung in my ears the past few weeks. Mike even spoke them aloud while we were in Uganda. After the news of Josie's health issues, my mind was taking me to "the worst case scenarios "once we returned to Tennessee, and Mike said "obedience trumps ALL of that". I still haven't figured out why Obedience has to rock your world TO THE CORE.(typically) I think the definition for obedience ought to be:the refiner's fire...so much pain.
I have been at total peace with Josie Love being with Christene and Katie. Mike and I have been so busy with our kids and paperwork stateside, that we have just now been able to come up for air. My heart is beginning to ache. I want to hold my baby girl. I want to rock her. ( I do not remember seeing any rockers while in Uganda, has she EVER been rocked?) My baby girl needs to be rocked and hear her mommy sing worship songs. She needs me to put my "magic lotion"on her beautiful dark skin so that it will shimmer. She needs to be sleeping on my pink satin pillowcase that I bought her so that the cotton sheets won't break her hair. She needs me to doctor her booboos. Or is it ME that needs all of those things? I long to hold her and kiss her face. Her paperwork is moving along. Pray that she will be home soon. Pray for my heart, that I will be obedient in the VERY worst case scenarios. OBEDIENCE TRUMPS WORSE CASE SCENARIO......
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About Me
- suzanne
- I am a lover of Jesus. I have the most fabulous husband that anyone woman could ask for. The Lord has blessed us with 7 beautiful children. I started this blog so that friends and family could follow our trip to Uganda to visit Katie Davis. I have decided to keep blogging to help bring orphan awareness to the world around me.
39 comments:
Oh, sweet sister! My heart longs right along with yours for you to bring that treasure home! I just cannot WAIT to see her transformation when she finally has a family of her very own. Is there a ballpark timeline as to when she might come home? Just know that there are many "holding up your hands" as we pray along with you. And if Josie couldn't be in YOUR arms, whose better than Katie's, eh? :)
Love, hugs, prayers...Nancy
Great thoughts....thanks for sharing and for being open and honest. :)
I so understand.....is it my Ellie who needs me, or is it that I need my Ellie?
I have been so blessed to be her mama, through all of the doctor's visit, through the catheters, through the surgery, while carrying her walker, her crutches, or carrying her....I thank my sweet Jesus that He has allowed me to be her mama!
you have the sweetest heart! praying for you!
Suzanne- You are amazing! So now I am feeling even more selfish for my selfish post that I just put up on my own blog. I just want others to know that I am not always sweetly smiling and "handling" all of this like a saint! I want my baby home!! and know how badly you do too! Thanks for the kind things you've said about Arnold. They really are little treasures, aren't they!? I can't wait to meet him, and maybe someday little Josie Love too. And I would be so blessed to have a family as big as yours someday. Justin was just thinking two from the start...but add Arnold and baby, and we are well on our way to 7! Thanks for being an inspiration in so many ways. Blessings and love, Katie
Praying your baby girl gets to come home soon!
God bless your sweet family and their OBEDIENCE!
so beautifully said! your obedience is so inspiring! much love and many prayers for sweet josie love!
AMAZINGLY challenging.. Thank you
Suzanne~ I am Amy's mother. She is following your family's journey from Tanzania. Your post brought tears to my eyes. Just as the news of Josie becoming your forever child made some people's eyes glaze over, so did the news that Amy(so young, so financially uncertain, and of course, so single) planned to actually follow thru with becoming PrayGod's mama. Amy found so much love and support at STBC. As Pray's Grandma (!) I will always be so grateful to you and Gwen and Jennetta and to so many others who reached out to Amy. Yes, Pray and Amy are still a world away from home, but Pray has found his HOME in his mama's arms. Love and blessings to you and your beautiful family.
Hi Suzanne
I volunteered at Amani for three months back in 2007 and, at least at the time, they had a rocking chair on the back porch. It was one of my favorite spots and I spent a lot of time on that porch rocking precious little ones. While I don't specifically remember whether or not I ever sat there with Josephine, I know that she was loved by many volunteers there and I am sure that someone has. Not the same as being rocked in her Mama's arms but I wanted to share that with you...
Andrea
Thank you for this post! It was exactly what I needed to hear this morning, and I feel inspired. You and your family are such inspirations to help me remember to keep going on the journey the Lord has set forth. I am praying that Josie gets to come home soon to your loving arms, but until then, she is in good loving arms right now with Katie and her girls! God Bless!
God is so pleased with your obedient spirit and faithfulness to Him. Thank you again for your honesty in sharing what this process has been like for you. I love the phrase "Obedience trumps worst case scenario". I will be asking the Holy Spirit to remind me of this daily. I am praying for you, Mike and the kids as you wait to bring Josie home forever.
Such a precious post and what wonderful words of encouragement as we seek to follow the LORD and where He would lead our families! What an adventure!!!
Aunt Suzanne,
I can't wait for Josie... to walk in your house and see her sweet angelic face every time...to play hide and go seek...to play house...and MUCH MORE! I love ya'll so very much...more than you can fathom!
LOVE, PRAYERS, AND BLESSINGS!!
Abbie
GOD--bless this sweet mommy. Bless sweet Josie. Bless this sweet family! Ahhh...sitting here in tears...and can't wait to bring our baby home from Ethiopia...OBEDIENCE TRUMPS the worst case senerio. NEEDED THIS TODAY! My children are the only thing I can take to heave...needed that one too. Your parents mottos are being adopted as mine:). Love that.
Andrea
I so needed to read that today! God has called our family (with 7 of our children) to go to Uganda to minister to orphans. It's so easy to start thinking about the "what ifs." I'm writing this down....obedience trumps worst case scenario!! Thanks for being used of God to encourage our family today!!
We completely understand you and your heart. We are in the same place. Much love and prayers for your family.
Blessings,
Amy
I feel ya, sister. I am just glad God doesn't ask me to make sense of it all. Because my little brain just can't do it :-) Love you!
this is a beautiful post...your words make it all seem so possible for anyone to adopt.
Love those philosophies and comments! We are on that same page. We were both blessed enough to come from God fearing, teaching, loving, hugging homes. We get those looks when we say we want more children. And we have taken on special needs too (we recently found out that ours were healed!!). We are praying for your family as you get through the paperwork needed to bring you precious Josie home!!!! I can't wait to see her in your arms. I also will continue to pray for your family as you will have to face reality, but OBEDIENCE is the most important, and you will be BLESSED beyond what you can possibly imagine- I praise God for this and your beautiful family. Thank you for showing others and sharing with our family too!
Oh I love this, Suzanne! How encouraging! Obedience DEFINITELY trumps worse case scenario!!!!!!! What powerful words! Obedience always brings blessing...even if we don't see it this side of Heaven. I also love the words your daddy taught you..."never let your circumstances control you". Thank you for sharing this with all of us....we all need this reminder!
Praying for your family.....including that sweet pumpkin in Uganda!
so beautiful. love these truths. bless you and your family, suzanne. praying josie love is home SOON.
Suzanne - AMEN!
Praying for your precious girl and your family to be united forever SOON!
Trusting God to do the impossible!
You are such a blessing!
Love and prayers!
Jill
Love the...your children are the only thing that you can take to heaven.
Prayers to you and Josie Love!
You seem to find the exact words that I need to hear. Thank you for this wonderful post, and thank you for your example of faith and obedience. You are an inspiration to me. Warm Regards Sandie - Australia
I think that woould be a great sermon! Thank you so much for being so real!
I cant wait to hear you are rockin lil Josie Love!
Michele
http://bhope.blogspot.com/
Oh, I loved this post. Yes, obedience trumps all... and in the end, brings more joy & love than all scenarios. I only have one child now, and one adoption process in the works... and I'm hoping that OBEDIENCE will lead me to a house as full & beautiful as yours!
I found this through Katie's blog... and just devoured the whole thing. My heart aches for you as you wait and as you experience the pain that comes with following Jesus. Of course there is blessing, but it doesn't take away the pain, does it?
We're adopting from Rwanda. Waiting, waiting for approval, referral, the opportunity to hug him for the first time.
Thanks for doing what Jesus would do. Over and over again!
I have been following your journey for a while but this is my first comment :) I am so blessed by your precious family! You guys are truly examples of our Lord! I pray at every thought of your family and can't wait to see sweet Josie Love home to stay. HUGE big HUGS and PRAYERS from Southern California!!! ~stacy
You dont know me, found your blog/journey a while ago- but I am praying for you, your family, a your precious little girl. Thank you for sharing your story, and your honesty.
Amazing....found your blog today and you will all now be in my prayers. What a precious little girl Josie is and what comfort to know that Obedience is the key! God bless you in this journey!
Suz, your words are always so sweet and perfect...I love the pics, Josie is some kind of "snuggle bunny"!xoxo, Amy
You may have answered this question - but I was wondering overall how much did the adoption process cost?
I love the title of this post! It's SO true! When we started our adoption of E, then found out about some pretty serious health issues.... the worst case scenerio was hard to over look. But God has SHOWN His light on our lives and in our hearts.... we are SO very blessed with his precious boy! Wouldn't trade this obedience for the world!!!
Prayers for your aching momma's heart!
look at you w/ all the comments ... you are so popular ... another great post sister ... i am praying sweet Josie home and I think she needs her auntie GWEN !!! I will be scooping her up and giving her lots of KISSES and we will one day soon be sitting in a salon together for hours while the girls get their hair done !!!!
Beautifully said! May God's grace accompany you daily in abundance as you live it out His plan for you. What we CAN understand is that He orders all things according to His wisdom and goodness...there is no One more worthy to be trusted as we walk in obedience to His call. That doesn't mean hard times don't come, it just means they come to us from God who loves us best, and they're designed for our good and His glory. Refining fires produce beautiful pure gold...God's knives are those of a Master Surgeon and we can submit ourselves to them with trust and hope. I'm praying for Josie Love to be allowed to come home to your arms and rocking chair soon.
I am going to link to your post on my blog today. This touched me deeply. Thank you!
This was such a beautiful post!!! I have been praying for your Josie and I am so happy to hear that she will coming home soon. I met your husband at the adoption conference last month. I work with Project Hopeful. I can't wait to see Josie united with her entire family and look forward to the day we can meet in person as well. Thanks for sharing your journey!
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