Lord, Break our Hearts for what Breaks YOURS!!!! - Are you heartbroken???

I have been really convincted lately.... although i havent been sure of what i was being convicted about lol i have felt really "heartbroken" about a lot of different things that never bothered my like this before....

Now ive always had a heart for children, expecially suffering children! but i used to see images and just shake my head and say to myself... "ooo isnt that aweful" and then move on....

But lately these images have left me weeping! ive been kinda down lately and sad. And i was associating it with the frusteration of our adoption journey, or the stress of trying to get our home fixed or other "life" stressors....

BUT just now i was praying and crying... even now im fighting back tears... and i felt the Lord shake me and wake me up!!!!!!! ....




He said to me, "WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER?!?!?! YOU ASKED ME TO BREAK YOUR HEART FOR WHAT BREAKS MINE, AND THAT IS WHAT I AM DOING!!!!!!!!!!!!"


I am so humbled.... ive been so blind!!!!! Please forgive my Lord!!!!! and that is when i had to stop what i was doing and write this blog.... this isnt a "comfortable" blog to write, but i feel that i must write it!! this life isnt about being comfortable, its about listening and obeying my Savior!!!! this isnt about ME (or me talking abt what im "doing" or arent doing).... its about HIM or only HIM!!!!!!



"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35

Did you catch that??? for every person who is hungry in this world and we feed, we've feed our Lord and Savior!!!!! WOAH!!!!! i have been (admittedly subconciously at first) taking this extrememly seriously lately.... finding myself crying when i see a needy walking in the rain, or a child on the street.... how can we walk past a child or an adult that is in need and not help??? that is our sweet Jesus!!!! His heart is with the needy.... so when we help them, we help Him!!!! i have felt my whole life that i shouldnt give money to the homeless on the streets because "theyd probably but drugs or alcohal anyway" [what a pressumtion that is!] and who am i to pressume that anyway!!???!!! Is Almighty God not in control of all of it anyway??? Is it not his money anyway??? Would HE not give that man ALL HE had??? this realization is very humbling, and eye opening!!! Its not our money in the first place... WOW!!! So "OUR" plans for how to use the money doesnt matter... because it isnt ours!!!




the only plans that matter our HIS!!!!!!!!!!!!



Have you used "your" HIS money, for HIM?? and HIS purposes?? i know i havent done nearly what he have me do... i am WAY too concerned with the material things i "want"... and i am DONE being concerned with such insignificant things... i am praying that he change my outlook and my heart!



Our Sweet Jesus will supply all our needs... So our concern needs to be HIS needs!!!!!!! There are people all over the world that are DIEING everyday from things like diarriha, and a stuffy nose... DIEING!!!! CHILDREN DIEING FROM A STUFFY NOSE!!!!


The hubby and i have felt we'd like to "sponsor" a child for sometime now... but ill admit we were going into it for some selfish reasons... So WE could do some good!! Well we actually did it a few days ago, and ever since we saw those faces and got more specific information... those are now OUR children!!! the feelings that we once had for the suffering have now come right up into our living room... they are no longer some distance countries problem! they are our childrens problems!! and it completely breaks my heart *tears* We have decided together that whenever we get a raise in income or adopt a new baby we will commit to sponsor a new child.... its very frusterating to me that there are so many children waiting...

they cant go to school, or eat, or hear that they are precious and wanted!! EVER!!! or more important than all of these... They most likely have NO opportunity to hear who Jesus is and that HE loves them!!!!!! these are precious souls that need to know the love of christ and know that they are beautiful and fearfully and wonderfully made!!!

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" - Jeremiah 1:5

and if this is making you feel uncomfortable??? GOOD!! he wants us to get uncomfortable for him....

Think with me for a second.... What do you spend 38$ a month on??? 38$....
I know that there are lots of things i spend 38$ on... like, lunch out, a couple pedicures, or a few lattes... how bout the newpaper?? or how bout clothes that i really dont need... dinners out... even grocery items that are "luxeries".... or getting our DOGS GROOMED!!! (it is horrific to me that the pets in this country have a MUCH better life than most of the children of the world! ANIMALS LIVE BETTER THAN THESE PRECIOUS BABIES!!!!!!!!!)..... books.... wasted gas spent just "going for a ride".... a haircut.... cell phone over usage fees.... i could go on and on!!

When i think about it... do i really NEED!!!! any of these things??? when its the same amount of money every month just to have basic nessecities!!!!! Do i have a right to a pedicure ( or any thing else), without giving... when there are children dying in the world from starvation???????????? NO... NO i dont!!!


No you may be thinking "we cant save them all!" YOU ARE RIGHT!! WE cant!! but everyone you help... it SURE DOES MATTER TO THAT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT CHANGES THIER LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which in turn changes thier families lives, and thier villages lives... and so on...






they are many many organizations! but the one that has really got me is Compassion International! You can write to your child, get pictures and info about them... make them apart of your family!!! Sometimes your words of "you are beautiful, you matter to me, and I love you" are the only times these precious children EVER hear these things!!

BE the voice of Jesus to these precious babies!!!

Releasing Children from poverty in Jesus Name!!!
http://www.compassion.com



What does HE want you to do??? I dare you to ask him, truely ask him... and i DARE you to LISTEN and OBEY WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU!!!! i promise the impact on your life with be FAR FAR reaching!!!

Love & Blessings
Liz

Fasting...

The hubby and i have been Fasting now for 30 days! We are doing a partial extremely restrictive fast... Our fast will conclude on thursday as we committed to the month of march. I have had Many people send me questions about fasting, and i dont have very good answers to give... ill be honest this is my fist fast (i know its a lot to take on for the 1st one... but hey Go BIG or GO HOME!!! ;o) so i found this list of explinations with scripture....

I thought this summary by Richard LaFountain was very helpful in summarizing some of the questions I get about fasting!

Fasting is going without food to pursue and/or focus on something more important.

1. Fasting helps subject our bodies to our spirits. (I Cor 9:27)

2. Fasting is disciplining the body, mind, and spirit. (Prov. 25:28)

3. Fasting is subordinating our flesh-desires to our spirit-desires. (Gal 5:17)

4. Fasting helps set the priorities in our lives. (Mt 6:33)

5. Fasting is longing after God. (Ps 63:1-2)


Why Should We Fast?

1. Honor God -
Mt 6:16-18, Luke 2:37, Acts 13:2, Mt 5:6

2. Humble Yourself -
2 Chron 7:14-15

3. Discerning Healing -
I Cor 11:30, James 5:13-18, Isaiah 59:1-2

4. Deliverance from Bondage -
Mt 17:21, Is 58:6-9 (loose bands of wickedness)

5. Revelation - God’s vision and will -
Dan 9:3, 20-21, Dan 10:2-10, 12-13

6. Revival - personal and corporate -
Acts 1:4, 14 / 2:16-21, Joel 2:12-18

7. Repentance - personal failures -
Psalm 51: Jer. 29:11-14, James 4:8-10

We started this journey to pray over our adoption and God has MOVED in SO many ways in our lives the last 29 days!!!! We both feel like completely different people... my outlook on life has changed completely and i am so grateful!!! We have found our church family, WoooHoooo and have become much closer to one another and our Heavenly Father!!! We have also made some increadible strides in our adoption journey.... HE has brought some AWESOME people in the adoption world across our path!! PRAISE HIM!!!! We have also had some physical benefits too.... I have lost 16.5 lbs & the Hubby 13lbs... a definate AWESOME bounus to this awesome awesome month that we will forever remember!!! As our fast draws to a close.... my "flesh" is excited lol but my spirit is extremely heavy.... it has been a challenge, but SO SO SO rewarding, we are forever changed!!! If you feel your being called to Fast... DO IT!!! dont think abt it "JUST DO IT"!!!! it will forever change you, for the BETTER!!!! :D:D:D

[the specific fast we participated in was The Daniel Fast]

http://daniel-fast.com/about.html

this is a great link to How to fast...

http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/7-steps-to-fasting/01-personal-guide.htm

Memorial Box Monday - Crazy Love

Over and over again God told the Isrealites to take stones and build a memorial to remember what He had done. They were to tell the stories to their children and their children's children. Why did He do that? Because He knew just how forgetful people are, and He wants us to remember that He is always loving, always protective, always providing, always caring, always and forever faithful. [taken from A Place Called Simplicity... http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/


This is my first Memorial Box monday post and i am SUPER excited to write it!! I have wanted to start doing them for a while, and am so glad i have a GREAT blessing to discuss today!! First tho ill explain briefly what a Memorial Box is... It is a box that can be placed in your home to place little "reminders" in of how God has worked in your life... preferably it is in the main part of your home and is open in the front or has glass doors so that when you have guests it gives you a great opportunity to share God's love and provision with your friends and family!!! How cool is that?? :)

So this Monday our fist Memorial Box Monday post. I want to tell you abt somthing that happened quite recently... just this past friday afternoon actually...

The day before Linny [the author of the blog mentioned above] challenged all of her blog readers to a Crazy Love challenge - which i explained in a previous blog...

Her post struck a fire in me and i wanted to be apart of it... but didnt know if i could, after all we ourselves our in a time of great need in our family! How could i help?? so i went to bed that night and all night i felt the Lord speaking to me... "Liz YOU have to do somthing... NOWWWWWWW!!!" the next day i thought abt it all some more and got caught up in the daily chores, but her post kept coming back to me... around 2pm in the afternoon i sat down to check my emails and i happened across her post again.... and as i was reading it for the second time, i felt the intense urge to ACT!!! so i went to my knees... i was praying for the Lord to tell me what he have me do... and almost immediately i knew that he wanted me to give! and then i began to pray for him to show me who i was to give to... by this time there were SO many blogs of people who were in need! How would i choose Lord?? and his anwser??? "i dont have to choose, because since they all have a need i will give to them ALL!!!"

"ummm wait a minute Lord... ALL of them???????????? WHAT??????????????? how on earth will i do that?????????" and then i realized what a dumb question that was... He is GOD, if he wants to make somthing happen HE WILL!!! so then i began to pray (admittedly terrified of his response...) "ok Lord i will give to everyone... but how much??" and his response left me very UNCOMFORTABLE, if youve read the post before this one we have great needs right now (which btw- after reading all the others needs, i realize our need really isnt that Great...thank you jesus)

He revealed to me that i was to go through ALL of the Blogs and give $5.00 to each one!!!! i will shamefully admit that i argued and stamped my feet a little.... at the time there were abt 30 posts listed... 30 x 5 = 150$... that is ALOT of money to us right now... ALOT ALOT!!! So i went to my paypal account to see what i had in there.... 122$.... "ok Lord well i will give what i can but i cant empty my account and i dont have enought to give EVERYONE 5$" then i realized that again i was limiting My HUGE AWESOME God to the means of this world... and i was extremely humbled and asked him to forgive me...

So i went back to the list... and started with the first... i read it then went to the little "donate" button and gave 5$... and the 2nd, 3rd, 4th... and so on.... Some didnt have buttons for instant donations so to those i sent a comment or an email requesting thier address to i could mail it to them...

I was going through these story and donating, and before long i was completely wrapped up in the stories and the people and the Joy i was recieving from allow the Lord to use me... Very humbling!!! suddenly i realised i was on the 20somthingth post... i paniced and thought [i dont think i have enough money in there for all of this... i wasnt sure whether paypal would let me overdrawl and charge me or whether they would just stop me when i didnt have enough... and what if i did spend every cent??? would they close my account if it were empty??? - i remembered what a pain it was to open it in the first place] i wanted to stop and go and check me account, but as if someone was yelling at me, i felt the Lord speaking through every fiber of my being... "TRUST ME!!!!" so i continued..... sending donations writing emails and sending comments... praying for these people right then and there... families who were adopting like us, some who lost thier jobs, some heading for forclosure, and some heading into the mission field... amazing people, living amazing lives!!!

i got to post 32 the last one... (yes 2 more than i had originally calculated) and worried i went and checked my account...



AND WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES DID APPREAR?????



THE AMOUNT WAS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS BEFORE I STARTED GIVING.... foolishly i was extremely confused and went to check and see if there was a delay in processing all the donations... but nope there wasnt!! and that is when i noticed that a total of about 8 people....





HAD GIVE US OVER 100$$$$$




i feel to my knees crying... realizing that God just wanted me to trust him!! and follow his commands! over the course of the next 48 hours.... we got more donations and now the balance in my paypal account is exactly the same as before!!!!

This was a VERY eye opening exp. for me!!!! i have always tried to have GREAT FAITH!!! but sometimes its hard for my little human mind to grasp.... i now know with every single fiber of my being that NOTHING IS IMPOSIBLE WITH GOD!!!!!!!!!!!! he has shown me in a tangile way... and i am forever grateful!!!

This Crazy Love challenge has really inspired us to just give more and more... just the fact that we live in the United States makes us some of the the richest in the world!!! [yes even with our current economy *wink*] and we dont have to worry about our needs... because HE will provide for them!!! Our concern needs to be about others needs!!! and we are praying for God to show us and put us in these [uncomfortable] situations way more often and allow us to give more and more to show others chrits love through our actions!!!

WoooHoooo JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

btw- we are currently wanting to sponsor some needy children overseas, but were a little overwhelmed when looking around as there are SO many organizations... we want to make sure we pick a GOOD one that is really in it for the children and they do what they say they will do... Any Suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!! :)


So there will be some little paper money in our memorial box to remind us of God GREAT PRovision!!! (btw- would you pray for us that God would direct us to find the right place to find the right memorial box... we have yet to find it) So friends... how have you given and served and how has God shown himself to you through your service???? please share... :D:D:D

"Crazy Love" ADOPTION LOVE!!!!!

I know i havent written in a while... things have been so crazy around here....

But after reading Linny's blog (below) i felt God urging me to swallow my pride and join in...

I have been wrestling at whether to write this or not... since i read a challenge my one of my favorite adoptive mom's at http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/ her name is Linny and she has really challenged us as a family to give more! (please read her blog for more info) and... (this is very humbling for me to write...) also to share our need with you all!

First ill answer a few of Linny's questions...

We joined our new church Harvest Pointe Community Church recently and do tithe faithfully, and are quickly getting involved. The past 2 years we have been kind of"floating" and not really members of a specific church but during that time we tithed by giving to local and international charities and individuals in need!

(now the humbling part)

We have struggled with infertility and loss for our entire marriage! From the very beginning we knew we wanted a Huge family, and always knew that would include adopted babies! last summer we decided to stop all treatments and stop trying to have a biological children!! it was a huge decision for us, but one that i am SO glad we made... In september 2009 we started the homestudy process, and a few days before thankgiving we were officially homestudy approved. We dont have a large savings account or income... and we are kind of at a stand still with our adoption because the money just isnt there, we had a major leak in our home from a big snow fall this past winter that left some major damage! We have had to pay out a lot for things that (*surprisingly*) the insurance company didnt cover, and there are still lots of things that need repair...(it is very hard for me to write this) but we havent been able to do any marketing of ourselves or advertising to find any birthmothers or situations! In fact, and this really kills me, (and we havent shared this with anyone!!)... but, we have had to turn down a few last minute newborn situations we have come in contact with because we didnt have the money together!! it absolutly broke our hearts, but we know that our Sweet Jesus has an awesome plan for us!! I have only ever envisioned myself as a mother, and i am SO SO grateful for my infertility and feel blessed to have expirenced it!! (wow i never thought i would ever say that lol) but i am... because i know that i was always meant to adopt and be a mother to those who already need one!! James 1:27 "Religion that the 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." While we may not all be called to adopt a child, God commands us to do something about the orphan crisis!!!! So....








**DEEP BREATH**









(*GULP*)









Our need is around $8,000.... (when we started it was $12,000, and through donations and fundraising we were able to raise $4,000... :D Yippee Jesus!!) this will cover advertising/searching fees, and once we are matched... legal fees, medical fees, birthmother fees, and travel expenses... If you would like to donate to our fund you can email me at thedarlings06@comcast.net for our address or donate through the paypal button on the righthand side of this blog, (everthing donated will be used for our adoption).... BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING WE ASK THAT YOU COMMIT TO PRAY FOR US!!!!! God has been working like crazy in our lives and we arent worrying about the money because we believe that HE will provide just the amount we need to bring our babies home and fix our home!!

So for now we wait hanging on faith, and God's promises... Anxiously awaiting to see how our Mountain Moving God will bring us together with our babies... :D :D :D

Love & Blessings,
Liz