Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

Sometimes someone else can say it better....That's how I feel about this video. It is worth every second--I urge you to find time today to watch it.

I Could Never

Have you ever said, "Oh, I could never fill in the blank..." only to later realize that you indeed could....maybe even that God had called you to that exact thing? Back in 2001, on a plane from Hawaii to DFW, I said I could never fly further than that flight (about 8 hours) because I just couldn't stand it. I couldn't sleep on the flight, I was uncomfortable, I just couldn't fathom being on a plane longer than that. I'm sure God enjoyed my logic as He chuckled about what was to come....What was to come was 2007 when God let me know I could indeed fly longer than 8 hours because I was called to go on my first overseas mission trip to South Africa. Yes, that is a little bit longer than 8 hours away!

But guess what? I can fly on long plane rides--and I can even sleep on them. You know how I know? Because I have gone to/from South Africa 3 times now. And (hopefully) next year, I'll be going to Ethiopia twice. Which leads me to my next, "Oh, I could never...".

Growing up, I remember telling my parents I would one day adopt, so I went into adulthood believing that to be an option. However, in the midst of that option, there was always the doubt. The doubt that said, "Oh, I could never get through all the paperwork." "I could never have a trans racial family." "I could never deal with all the looks and the comments." "I could never disappoint those who don't agree...". And guess what? God (of course) decided to turn my never into an, "Are you ever!"

Though the paperwork does seem unending and the comments, the disappointment, the fear is still there, God has called us to adopt. And not to change the topic too drastically, but God has called every one of us to do something to care for the orphans. Do not mistake what I am saying. He did not necessarily call every one of us to adopt an orphan,--in fact, many of them are not able to be adopted (for various reasons)--but He did put us as Believers "in charge" of their care.

After all, there are 143 million of them...many going to bed tonight having gone all day without a meal, without clean water, without a hug. Though the task seems daunting, I think this may be our big "I could never" moment. It sure does seem like it: I could never take care of all of them. But what about one of them? Could you sponsor a child through an organization like Compassion International or World Vision? Could you help out a foster family by providing a meal? Could you send money to an organization like Show Hope or go on a mission trip to hug and feed one of them? And maybe you could be one of the ones who God is calling to adopt. Maybe there is another face that belongs in your family.

November is adoption awareness month, and this Sunday is Orphan Sunday. If you live in the McKinney area, I urge you to be at FBC McKinney this Sunday, November 7, to hear more about the cry of the orphan--both in the morning services at 9 and 10:30am and then that evening at 6:30pm. But whether you're in the area or not, I urge you to pray about whatever "I could never" statement you've found yourself saying. Open your eyes and your heart to what God has for you. Maybe it's regarding orphan care, maybe it's something altogether different in this season, but I assure you: God has great plans for you, and those plans will take you outside of your comfortable life if you listen and obey. Our God is a GREAT BIG GOD, and He has great big plans for His people. Let's join Him!

The Least of These

Last month I wrote about something uncommon that my husband and I felt like God was calling us to, but we hadn't shared it with our family yet, so I had to keep things vague. This month I am happy to tell you that we have begun the long road of adoption. It is one of those things that is both breathtakingly exciting and tie-your-stomach-in-knots scary all at once.

We've known for years that this is something God might call us to, but He hadn't--until recently. And once He called us, He didn't let up until we heard exactly what He was had for us.

We know that God's Word says, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27), but we didn't know that for us part of that meant actually adopting an orphan into our family. We sponsor children already through different organizations, and that is certainly taking care of orphans, but God had more for our family. He desires (and we desire) for one of them to take our name, to become our family.

Why do I tell you this? Well, I tell you for a number of reasons. I tell you because there are well over a hundred million orphans. I tell you because God wants us to take care of orphans--whether through adoption, child sponsorship (Compassion and World Vision are two amazing organizations to do this through), foster care, or mentoring children at a local elementary school. I tell you because our hearts should be broken over the things that break God's heart, and the cry of the orphan certainly breaks God's heart. I also tell you because our church has an adoption/foster/orphan care ministry that is in the early stages called The Journey, and I am excited to see how God is going to use it to awaken Believers to orphan care.

But most of all I tell you so that you might consider: What does God have for me in this? Not everyone is led to adopt, but everyone is called to obey God's Word. How are you taking care of the orphans? What more might God have for you?

"I want her"

I recently returned from a mission trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia where I got to serve with an orphanage called Casa de Amor. Before going, I would laugh at my friends and other women in my life who would joke that I should bring them back a baby. How silly, I thought. Well, I didn't bring back a baby. I DID, however, let a precious little 10 month old girl wrap me around her sweet, dimpled, baby fingers while I was there--it was an accident...I was certain that I had prepared myself to NOT get attached.

I spent a whole day and a half with her and just laughed with her and at her and held her and rocked her and played with her and fed her and sung to her and watched her sleep. During those moments I KNEW it was temporary and that she was just a sweet baby that I got to spend time with. But for some reason, when I started preparing for heading home a few days later, I couldn't get her off my mind. I kept kidding with my teammates and with the orphanage director that I just wished I could take her home. [I was at least half-serious] In just a day and a half, I had grown to care SO MUCH about this little girl.

I sat down one afternoon a couple of days after I had last seen her and started journaling and talking with God. I knew in my heart that she wasn't going home with me. I asked God why on earth he would let me feel love for a little girl I was going to have to leave. I didn't understand...so I began to pray for her and for who she might go home with ONE day. I prayed that God would please bring her parents who would just flood her with love....and then I was overwhelmed by a thought that God had given me back at Easter...only this time it seemed more personal. The greatest thing we can do for our children is tell them about Jesus. THAT is the greatest show of love we can ever, ever offer. I began praying that she would have parents who would tell her about Jesus. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, Lord...give her parents who love YOU and love her so much to tell her how much YOU love her. I started praying for every child in that orphanage...God, please just let them learn about your Son! Give them homes, give them families that LOVE YOU.

God used this little girl to remind me that the greatest thing we can do for our children is tell them about Jesus. If you don't know me, you may not know that have zero kids. But I know that I am surrounded by people who were not told about Jesus when they were children. Like you, I have family...I have teens in my youth ministry...I have neighbors and acquaintances at places I visit frequently, and I have opportunities to go on mission trips and talk to complete strangers...all of which may NEVER have heard or realized that Christ loves them. We are all surrounded by "kids" that we encounter on a regular basis and the GREATEST thing we can ever talk to them about is JESUS and his love for them. In the same way I wanted this little girl to be part of my family, God wants EVERY person, every child, to part of HIS family.

Thank you, God, for using a precious baby girl to remind me of the opportunity that is all around me, all of the time.

PS-I still want her. :)