4 Years Ago

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolishthings of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.  

I am humbled to think God chose a foolish girl like me to be the mama of a "little blond angel" in a faraway land. Four years ago, today, we took our flight to Ukraine to go find what was promised by God. Our daughter, hidden away in a dream, and a treasure that needed to be found. <3

If you know anything about me, it wouldn't impress you, not unless you know I'm in love with God. I have nothing to hang my hat on. And I'm sure when God calls me home, my greatness is not what will get me into heaven, and I don't care because I know The Great One. He is the King Of Kings and The Lord Of Lords. He is the Great I Am, who Was, and Is, and Is to come, and I stand in awe of Him who died to set me free. Only by His love and grace was I able to even begin to believe. He had a plan and He chose me. Adopting Lera exemplified God's love for me, and through me, and showed me His majesty in my life. I can do ALL things through Christ who makes me strong, and there are no mountains God can't move to those who believe. Our daughter is HOME, not because of Jim and Debbie, but because GOD loves her more than we ever could. His redemption is great! Thank You God for the journey of adoption and for demonstrating your faithfulness to complete what you have begun in me. 

Please, now, help my unbelief. I need You. Every day. Every hour. Every minute. You are the air I breathe and I pray You be strong in me. You got me to Ukraine to save our daughter. Before that, You saved me, depression and all. You took me there. Now she is home, but there are SO MANY OTHERS. Help me to not give up on my dream for them all to have families. Thank you for showing me some of the ones who came home, like Cephas, a precious soul I met in Torez who's smile melts my heart, and for the ones who are still waiting, be with them all until they find their families... 

You are the One True God who saves us all from sin and death. There is no one like You where men can be saved. I love You my LORD and my God. Amen.