Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Adoption

For a long time God has been speaking to me about how He wants me to have a loving impact on others. There are so many different ways that God has been teaching me how to do this. Most recently, and actually on a more consistent basis since 5 years ago, God is teaching me about the importance of adoption. There are so many different perspectives that one can take on this. I have been adopted into God's family and there He gives me unconditional love. With this in mind it causes me to reflect on how I view others and in turn how I treat them.

Since ministering to children is my life right now (as well as my husband's life), God has been revealing His heart for children during our most intimate moments together. His heart breaks when children are neglected, abused, forgotten, negatively yelled at, talked down to, and left behind. It is gut wrenching to see the affects of sin from adults upon children. My question to you is: what are you doing about it? Are you adding to the grief of children or are you helping them?

One of my favorite parts of what I do is being able to adopt kids every week for a short period of time as if they were my own. This is something that God has been teaching me. I long to have His heart and His heart is HUGE for kids! There are times when I long to get out on the streets of Rwanda, India, Indonesia, Thailand (the list goes on and on), and pick up orphan children and bring them home with me to a warm bed, clean clothes, food and water. Even with this longing, God has been showing me how to do this very thing in the lives of children every week on a spiritual level. I know that this is training for what God will be propelling my husband and I into later.

My soul cries in agony, it groans, for words cannot express the desire to save hurting, lost, and orphaned children. This desire has been planted and God has been watering it and showing me how I am saving kids already. As I look at the many faces of the kids I get to minister to each week, I see such huge hope in knowing that they will lead the church to save others. Their potential is so much bigger than most of us give them credit for. My husband and I adopt them, so to speak, for the short time that we have them, and it is beyond amazing to see them grow!

Adoption speaks so much more than just accepting someone into your family (or as your own like I mentioned above). It is treating them as your own flesh and blood. It is about loving them unconditionally and doing all in your power to give them the best. When any of us are put into an environment of people who treat us like this; like the most precious person in the world, we thrive and grow in ways that surprise us. It is my prayer that every child that God puts into my life would feel God touching their heart with His love; and that they would know their true value, priceless, beautiful, and worthy.

So, whenever I dream with God, I see Him planting wonderful seeds of hope and love in the hearts of kids everywhere. I know that wherever my feet walk, I will pick up kids and bring them home to care for them as if they were my own. It may be a large family, but it is worth every tear, sacrifice, and sorrow to bring children before the feet of Jesus. Someday soon, I will kiss away dirty tears, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and shelter the homeless. Until that day, I will faithfully do all I can to do the same for children spiritually.

If you ever have wondered why Jesus informed the people to "let the children come", take a look at this video below. I think that God desires children to be lifted up higher and higher to their full potential. Too often we limit them, whether by accident, religious codes, or because of abuse and neglect. I encourage you to take the time to watch this video. It shows how someone invested in them to train them up as spiritual leaders. In this process, they realized their identity in Christ. This is God's heart for children and for His people: that they would know how precious they are to Him and that there is no need to fear. He will use you to do great things. Now... take a look at the video and you will know what I am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RyW6-pM0oE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

2 comments:

  1. Lovely Kara!!!
    You are absolutely stunning with beauty inside and out!!! Reading this moved me! Thank you for allowing me to see a glimpse into your hearts journey!!! Keep living in the fullness!!! Love, Joy and Peace! I love you dearest! Thank you for sharing:)
    ~Hannah Hope Gowan

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  2. Your blog is powerful, inspiring and challenging. It is exciting to see what God is doing in you and Jeremy. Love you, Mom

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