A friend shared with me how "strange" (and scary) our decisions appear to those observing our lives. Most people are barely surviving residency and then for me to decide to adopt, to decide to adopt a child with special needs, to decide to adopt this child from the uncertainty of Liberia, to decide to start my Master's of Public Health during residency... it all seems crazy and overwhelming to the observer.
But what my friend did not take into account is that God's calling on our lives will not always appear sane. Our choices are neither noble nor insane if they are what God has called us to. These choices are simply obedience to sovereign God! We are not living for life in this world, we are in fact aliens to this world and shouldn't settle down and get too comfortable because our joy is in heaven. God calls each of us to "not waste our lives" but live each day with an eternal focus. With an eternal focus, we should not only adopt a child with disabilities, we should care for all the orphans and widows that we possibly can. We should not only complete the training that God has called us to, but we should work to fulfill God's calling with a sense of urgency as tomorrow may be the day that we stand in glory and have to give an account for our lives. We should reach out to our neighbors, church, family with Christ's love and an answer for why we do what we do with that same sense of urgency since they too might be before God tomorrow, asking us why we never told them the saving truth.
So why have we knowingly adopted a child with several chronic conditions? Why am I pursuing my MPH while in residency? Why is Josh going to seminary while working at the church and trying to find odd jobs to help sustain us financially? For only one reason: To bring Glory to God. Today is our day to serve the Lord, today is the day that we must do everything we possibly can to His glory.
While I was in Kenya as a medical student, God dramatically taught me a lesson about my calling to mother children. I lost a 3 week old baby whose mother had valiently been in the hospital since birth trying to keep her alive. As I walked from the hospital, through the grave yard to my house at 3:00am, I asked God why He would permit such futility. This mother had sacrificed so much of her scarce resources to maintain her pregnancy and sustain a sick baby in such a resource poor setting for only 3 weeks of a baby's life! What was the point?!
God distinctly told me, "if I call you to love and nurture a child for one day only, that is what I have called you to and that is worth eternity to that child." In other words, if God calls me to nurture a child with a terminal illness just for a couple weeks until the child dies, that brings glory to God and is worth all the grief that I may feel. The point is that it's not about me, not about my emotions, not about my pride, not about my achievements, my earthly pleasure - it is about God's glory, eternal joy, and obedience to God's call on our lives!
But what my friend did not take into account is that God's calling on our lives will not always appear sane. Our choices are neither noble nor insane if they are what God has called us to. These choices are simply obedience to sovereign God! We are not living for life in this world, we are in fact aliens to this world and shouldn't settle down and get too comfortable because our joy is in heaven. God calls each of us to "not waste our lives" but live each day with an eternal focus. With an eternal focus, we should not only adopt a child with disabilities, we should care for all the orphans and widows that we possibly can. We should not only complete the training that God has called us to, but we should work to fulfill God's calling with a sense of urgency as tomorrow may be the day that we stand in glory and have to give an account for our lives. We should reach out to our neighbors, church, family with Christ's love and an answer for why we do what we do with that same sense of urgency since they too might be before God tomorrow, asking us why we never told them the saving truth.
So why have we knowingly adopted a child with several chronic conditions? Why am I pursuing my MPH while in residency? Why is Josh going to seminary while working at the church and trying to find odd jobs to help sustain us financially? For only one reason: To bring Glory to God. Today is our day to serve the Lord, today is the day that we must do everything we possibly can to His glory.
While I was in Kenya as a medical student, God dramatically taught me a lesson about my calling to mother children. I lost a 3 week old baby whose mother had valiently been in the hospital since birth trying to keep her alive. As I walked from the hospital, through the grave yard to my house at 3:00am, I asked God why He would permit such futility. This mother had sacrificed so much of her scarce resources to maintain her pregnancy and sustain a sick baby in such a resource poor setting for only 3 weeks of a baby's life! What was the point?!
God distinctly told me, "if I call you to love and nurture a child for one day only, that is what I have called you to and that is worth eternity to that child." In other words, if God calls me to nurture a child with a terminal illness just for a couple weeks until the child dies, that brings glory to God and is worth all the grief that I may feel. The point is that it's not about me, not about my emotions, not about my pride, not about my achievements, my earthly pleasure - it is about God's glory, eternal joy, and obedience to God's call on our lives!
Comments
I love you guys. Lord willing, I'll come up to New Hampshire. God bless you guys always.
In Jesus,
Ken
you dont know me, but I am adopting from AOH as well. I read your blog when I can and today it looks like I needed to read it. Thanks for sharing your heart and for speaking truth...I needed to hear this tonight.
Thanks
Katie
God bless you mightily! I agree with you God's Calling for us may look foolishness to many. To obey God's calling is so rewarding and refreshing. In the world we are living today God is looking for men and women like you to use to be a blessing to many but many are refusing God's calling. Be encouraged you are doing what God has for you. May He encourage and give you all the strength you need for his ministry. What you have done is a challenge to many of us.
Rev. Peter Ngogoyo Njoroge, Kijabe. Kenya.