the other side of the same coin

A couple of years ago, I was reading a post by a woman whose husband was not open to adopting. We've all heard of this story before, haven't we? The wife wants to adopt, but the husband is concerned about finances, time, etc. and is therefore not ready to adopt.

But even though this is a common story, and I had heard it many times before, at that moment, I felt as if my heart would break in two. I was literally undone. This is what I wrote in my journal:

"Where are the men who would love to love God by taking care of the fatherless? Who would love to do it?! Not, who had to be talked into it and then are willing, but who would love to do it. Lord, I ask for You to raise up this sort of man among your people--as an icon of Your care for Your children. May there be many of these men. May it not only be women who care for the fatherless. Men must care. Lord, I ask You with boldness and assurity that you desire this and will do it."

Less than one month later, my precious husband approached me, saying that he thought that we should adopt again! Friends, I was not praying this prayer with my husband in mind. But God saw fit to answer my prayer in a way that only He could do. He answered it (and continues to answer it) above and beyond my expectations!

So, why do I share this story with you?

In my post below, I wrote about something that I totally believe in. I believe that God gave the gifts to the Church and we are to use these gifts and appreciate and support each person as he/she is called in different ways to love God and one another. Together, we glorify God as we serve one another and the world.

But, that does not mean that we are to sit silently and wait for the gifts to be manifest in the Church. If you believe that you have the gift of mercy, I entreat you to continutally storm the gates of heaven on behalf of the suffering people of this world. If you think that you are the only one in your local church body who feels this burden, ask the Father to send others...ask the Father to send MEN who would love to love the Fatherless and care for the needy. God would LOVE to do it! He would LOVE to see this kind of love manifest on the earth.

I know that my son, Adam, has a gift of mercy. His compassionate heart is a treasure to me and to the Lord! I continually pray for Adam--that God would further His purposes in Adam's life and raise him up to be a man of mercy. I tell Adam that there are many merciful women, but not so many merciful men. I tell Adam that he is called of God to be compassionate and filled with love for God and for His people. Adam knows that this is true. And I know that Adam will serve God with a fiery love and compassion that will ignite others. In fact, he already does!!

Friends, so many of you have spurred me on with your love for the needy people of this world. Thank you for this! You are precious to me and certainly to the Lord, also!! May we continue to fight the fight of faith together. There are no orphans in heaven! May it be so on the earth!!