Forbid Them Not

I was going to title this blog post "Our Fleece is Out", but my heart has experienced a renewed sense of purpose since my time with my Bible this morning and I decided that "Forbid Them Not" was more appropriate.

Funny how the mind works. I would hope that I am not that "double minded" person that James 1:8 talks about, but I certainly have a tendency to let little nagging doubts hide in the closets of my mind. I am very "practical" about it, however. Isn't it prudent to allow God a way out? Maybe He was just testing me to see if I was willing to serve? I mean, I really, really want to, but does He want to use me?

We've done all we could to prepare ourselves for Washington's waiting children. The homestudy/ foster care licensing visit is over. Besides going in for my appointment to retry on my fingerprints today, there is nothing more we can do but wait for awhile. We have acted in faith. We have relied on God for His guidance. We have had many evidences of His hand in the process. Now, why would I be wondering if this is for real?

Last night we all gathered in the livingroom before bedtime as we always do. The kids were all busy chattering about how the homestudy visit went and wondering how long it would take for us to get children, etc... I told them it could take a long time and then added that it might actually never happen...that we were willing, but that God just might have other ideas. Basically, I told them that we had put our fleece out and the next step was to wait and see if God wanted to use us.

Kind of sad, really.

I didn't think that it was so sad then. I was being practical. Having faith and being practical is not synonymous, though. My dad preached a sermon on that topic just a couple months ago. (It just takes me a long time to learn!)

I found myself in Matthew 18 and 19 this morning. I had turned there for another reason, but found myself reading these verses:

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me...Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones. It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. And Jesus said, Suffer the little children and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Okay, Lord, bring it on! We are ready.(Or at least, as long as You are with us, we are ready!)

I think this journey has a lot to do with refining my character... I am seeing a lot of things about myself that I don't like and so I am thankful for the promise:

Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6