Our Boy and His Cricket

One of my biggest challenges in life is to not be afraid.  The last few years I have been working on my fears by giving them to God and by doing it afraid. I gain strength in the knowledge that I am not alone when I fear where I am at.  I love this verse, it is a constant reminder to me even though it is one that we most hear during the Christmas season.  I go back to it often through out the year and remember that He gave us His son so that we may not be afraid.  

Our church is in the middle of a series right now called "Lights" and last weeks message was filled with  the joy His light brings to us.

When in the darkness... 

His light shows the way.  ~ John 8:12

His light revels the truth.  ~ John 1:18

His light gives life.  ~ John 8:12

His light heals.  ~1 John 2:8b

Finding joy and peace in the Lord is such a comfort, my prayer is that others can find that as well...it's an amazing feeling!

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I love knowing that each morning His compassions are new.  

I know my failures are only part of my growth in Him.

I wait quietly for His Salvation. 

Find a moment to reflect on other Scripture and a Snapshot entry's.

This year our Thanksgiving table will be filled with one more table setting, a moment that I've been dreaming about for many, many years.  As I think back to last years dinner I am reminded of how hard it was to feel thankful and to remain strong in my faith.  We had been waiting for "the call" for two very long months, (well really 45 months).  Those last two months were torture....we didn't make the cut in October then November was skipped....we were next but didn't know when "next" would happen.  Needless to say it was a tearful Thanksgiving for me.  Surrounded by our families I was able to find the strength to move through the day and know that soon our blessing from God would be here, in His time.   

This Thanksgiving I will look around the table filled with our families, our friends, and our children and be grateful for the incredible blessings I have in my life and the lives of my family.  I will say a grace filled with thanks to Him for never leaving me in my time of sorrow.  I will take a moment to reflect on the last year.  I will say a prayer for those who are still waiting to hold their children on yet another holiday.  I will shed a tear or two I'm sure.   I will be thankful and full of His grace!  Happy Thanksgiving!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with love, family, laughter and many blessings!  

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Whenever I walk along the beach I am always overcome with the incredible power of the Lord.  My walks are usually a time of reflection and deep thought.  The sea clarifies everything for me and by the time I turn around to head back to where my walk began I feel cleansed.  My soul  overflows with a sense of confidence and new vision...it is always the work of the Lord that fills me with his Spirit which has renewed my resolve with the crash of every wave and the passing of the breeze the drifts by me.

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Sometimes I find myself staring at this picture which hangs framed on my living room wall.  

My husband captured this moment during a sunny afternoon while camping in Oregon last summer.

I gaze at it in utter awe.  After nine months of cradling this child of God in my arms I am still amazed that He actually answered my prayers and so richly blessed our lives.   

I'm also humbled by His Grace.

I think back to the year prior to this photo and almost cry to think we were so close to walking away from this adoption.  After almost three years of waiting and longing to have our prayers answered, the emotional ups and downs of the wait, the questions of uncertainty, and the lack of patience to go any further, we were ready to walk away.  We spent weeks questioning ourselves.  We argued over who was going to call our agency.  We cried in pain at a loss we'd never even held.

Then one day I was sitting in my car in my driveway numb and so confused over what to do.   A song started playing on my iPod, "Show Me What I'm Looking For"  by Carolina Liar.  As the tears began to flow so did the answer inside me.  Let go and let God.  I'd always tried to control the adoption myself, yes I prayed about it but I never fully gave it to God.  That day I did.  My husband and I talked that night about our decision....walk away or give it to Him and wait to see no matter how much longer our wait would be.  

We walked the remainder of our wait with the strength knowing that this adoption was in His hands.

 The inner peace that came with that knowledge was overpowering and life changing.