More fun with synergism

Yesterday I rambled about synergism and I made a side comment that there are many marital implications, and there are.  Here's one.  If you've been reading my blog for a few months, you know that a year ago I began to desire rather strongly to adopt again, this time from Ethiopia.  My husband didn't share the desire, but loves me and listened and prayed and together we sought the Lord's leading.  After a period of months, with hearts more united than ever to follow Jesus wherever He leads, we concluded that at least for now, adopting for us is not on the agenda.  This is old news, but I bring it up because this is the very kind of thing that can drive wedges between people who have been made one flesh by God.  What we found was key in staying united was to keep submitting to the One holding the reigns, rather than setting our heart on the "field" we want to work; to remember God has united us and anything that threatens to divide us is also in opposition to His will for us.

I know my desire to adopt was not a bad desire, but it certainly could have been used to bear bad fruit.  Instead, the Lord used it to prompt greater intimacy and clearer vision for my husband and I.  We love the three children God has grafted into our family and in no way stand opposed to Him adding more to our number if and when that pleases Him, but the vision He gave us for now at least is to do what we can to come alongside and encourage other Christians who are in the process of adopting.  We are pulling together and seeing God at work through our meager efforts and it has brought us so much pleasure in the process.  In yesterday's post, I mentioned we were going to get to go hug and kiss on a little fellow adopted recently be friends of ours...what fun that was this morning!

Little "J" is no longer one of the orphans of the world.  Praise the Lord who does marvelous things!  My friend Erica suggested I post pics so you can thank her, or better yet, go visit her blog and see what she is up to so you can consider coming alongside her and her family as they try to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia.  We cannot individually play a role in helping all 147 million orphans in the world get into Christian homes, but we can have parts in the amazing stories of some of them.  I know I'm looking forward to seeing the pics Erica will post one day of another little girl smiling in the context of her family, and knowing God gave me the privilege of helping her get there.  Would you consider helping too?