Are You Losing Control?

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"Are You Losing Control?"

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The Walking Wounded

This is a quote from a children's book by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman about a little Chinese girl that's going to be adopted:


"But, then, there's a cry that's the saddest of all.
In fact, it's unlike any other.
It comes from a deep, empty place in your heart
That can only be filled by a mother."


The first several times I read this story to my daughter I couldn't even say those words because I was either crying or had such a large lump in my throat the words just couldn't get past it.


As I was reading it to my daughter tonight, I thought of all the people in this world that do not know the Lord. They don't know their Heavenly Father.
There is a longing, an emptiness...a God-shaped hole in the heart of every person that hasn't received (and possibly has even rejected) His love and forgiveness.

Sometimes I can get so frustrated when sinners sin.
I forget to look past the sin and see the pain that is driving them to behave this way.
In the same way, I can get offended when someone is unkind or harsh with me.


We have a dog and she is so sweet. She has been with our family for several years now and never hurt any one of us. Lauren lays on her and pulls her ears and she still never does anything that might hurt her.
BUT, if she were ever hurt or hit by a car, I would NOT let Lauren near her.
WHY? Because in her state of pain and fear, she could respond in a violent manner.
It is only natural.


There have been times when the Lord has reminded me to see people this way.
Bloody, wounded and seething with pain.

Obviously, they are not physically injured, but the pain for some is deeper than physical wounds. Many times, the responses and reactions that we get from people are not a direct result of their feelings towards us, but a response to their feelings toward themselves or others who have hurt them.

I'm not excusing bad behavior...

But possibly, if we opened our heart. We might see that love could heal some relationships that have been destroyed by one person's pain, and another's resistance to forgive.

In the same manner, if we understand how empty and sad a heart can be without the Lord, maybe we can see beyond the outside walls built aroung their heart and give them a reason to let Him in!

He's the only hope for a lost and hurting world.

It takes a person strong in their walk with the Lord to open their own heart to the possibility of being hurt by the wounded- but it's worth every battle scar.

One Year Anniversary of our Gotcha Day!

Lord, You saw her "red and screaming" on the steps of a Buddhist Temple in China and chose to coordinate her life so that she would end up in our arms...thank you so much!

We'll never be the same.

One year ago today...

It was the eve of our "Gotcha Day" for Lauren.
Here are some pictures of her before she came to her forever home.

Are you living like an orphan?

John 20:1-2
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put Him!"
NIV

They are about to realize that our Lord has risen, but I want to look at something else here.
I love how John refers to himself as the “one Jesus loved”. He says that several times.

He obviously believes that he IS the one that Jesus loved.

Do you wake up every morning and think to yourself, ‘I’m the one Jesus loves’?

When you look in the mirror or see your reflection in a window, do you think ‘I’m the one Jesus loves’?

How would you describe yourself with regard to the Lord’s feelings for you?
Maybe you think- ‘I’m the one Jesus is disappointed with’ or ‘I’m the one He’s angry with’?

My 2 year old loves the movie Annie (the original). We watch it at least once a day. There is a line that Carol Burnett says to Annie that just gets me every time. She holds her head in her hands, looks her in the eye and says;

“Why any kid would want to be an orphan is beyond me!”

I can’t help but think that so many of us live like orphans.

John 14:18
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
NIV

Those are Jesus’ words, He also said:
Eph 1:3-6
4 For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will-
NIV

Are you living like an orphan? Do you struggle to believe that He loves you and wants to be a Father to you?
His Word says that He’s chosen you.

As a Mom that has give birth to 3 children and then adopted one, I can tell you that the love for my adopted daughter is very unique. It’s not that I love her more because I’m crazy about all my kids. But there is something so special about knowing that you’ve specifically chosen this child and you want to give her the best life possible.

Last night while putting her to bed, she said ‘I love you’. She can’t talk very well because of her cleft palate, but she was signing it and saying it and it brought tears to my eyes!

We went through so many issue with attachment that when you see and feel her reciprocate love- it blesses your socks off!!

On a much larger scale, that is true of how the Lord feels for us also. He offers His amazing love to us and hopes that we will receive it and fall in love with Him too.

Why would any one want to live like an orphan when we can wake up every day saying- I’m the one He loves!!

1 John 4:9
9 This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
NIV

Let this Easter be a time that you recognize how much He loves you and because He died for you and then rose up from the grave, you don't have to be an orphan, you can be adopted into the family of God!

Ask Him to come into your heart right now, if you already have- start living like "I'm the one He loves!"