Where Is Jesus?!

Imagine waking up one morning and wondering franticly, “Where did Jesus go?!” I have to admit that I laughed a bit at the story I heard on the radio this morning. Apparently there are people that steal ‘baby Jesus’ from the Nativity scenes that sit outside churches and homes. That is not what made me laugh. What made me laugh was the solution that one company has come up with to correct the situation. In this world of technology, why should the Christmas Nativity scene be left out? Yes, that is right, they have started to attach a GPS device on the ‘baby Jesus’ portion of the scene. That is what made me laugh. We now have Lo-Jack for baby Jesus. Where did Jesus go? Just input the tracking device number into a program on your computer and you can find Him.

I know many who have had a rough 2011. I know some who would say they have been on a roller coaster of hurt for a few years. Often, even those with great faith are left with the thought of, “where is Jesus?!” In the midst of our pain, suffering, confusion, and chaos of the world, we can find ourselves in a position where it seems that we have lost Jesus. Where is the comfort? Where is the help? Why do these things keep happening to us? By no means do I want to belittle your pain or struggle. It is real and it is hard. But let me suggest that you didn’t lose Jesus. Jesus didn’t lose you either.

We are told in scripture that in this world we will have trouble, but Jesus says to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). We don’t get a free pass on trouble or pain. Jesus tells us that He will be there with us. He tells us that we need to stick close to the One who is greater than this old mean world. He is there to give us peace, to share the load (I Peter 5:7), to sit with us during our time of hardship and let us know that it IS going to be okay. We will not find COMPLETE healing and release from the struggle during this ever so brief time on Earth, but we will find it in eternity with Him. Sometimes we say while going through the hard time, “It sure doesn’t seem like He is here,” but maybe we should remember, “as bad as this is, where would I be without Jesus.”

Our church was given a recent challenge to spend a week of less TV watching in order to spend time as a family pondering the goodness and amazing love that God showed us by sending His son Jesus to us. How do you find Jesus? Use scripture as your GPS. You will find that He is near. We just have to draw near to Him (James 4:8). Doing so might mean clearing your mind and life of a few cluttering world trappings. Cut the noise and listen to Jesus in scripture.

Where is Jesus?! “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).” Matthew 1:23. The One who came to be God with us is STILL with us. No one can steal Jesus.

chris

My Story (from Chris)

You have seen Amber write about adoption in our family blog.  She has encouraged me to write there but I have only a few times.  While I have talked about adoption to many people, many times, I have yet to post my thoughts.  Here ya go.

The book of Exodus tells the story of a Hebrew woman named Jochebed who bore a son during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male infants to be put to death (Exodus 1:15-22). Jochebed took a basket, waterproofed it, and sent the baby down the river in the basket. One of Pharaoh’s daughters spotted the basket and retrieved the child. She eventually adopted him into the royal family and gave him the name Moses. He went on to become a faithful and blessed servant of God (Exodus 2:1-10).

In the book of Esther, a beautiful girl named Esther, who was adopted by her cousin after her parents' death, became a queen, and God used her to bring deliverance to the Jewish people.

After seeing my brother and sister-in-law adopt their beautiful daughter from China, adoption was something placed in my mind and heart.  Since the beginning of our marriage, Amber and I have talked about adoption.  It was something we thought we might do ‘someday’.  Amber came to the thinking that ‘someday’ had come before I did.  I had many questions.  I tend to over think.  I thought about the cost, wondered if we had room in the house, and if would we sacrifice time and energy with our first three miracle kids to adopt a child. 

I have to say, Amber was incredibly patient with me.  She didn’t push it.  I told her that I needed to spend time praying about it and working out details.  She said that was fine but let’s start praying.  I thought it would buy me time.  Little did I know that when I offered my heart to God and truly said, “if this is what you want us to do,” that He would change my heart so quickly.  I remember distinctly the day I looked at Amber sitting on the couch and uttered the words that would change our lives.  I looked at her and said, “yep, let’s do it.”  Funny thing was that while I did think through some of the details I still didn’t have an answer for everything.  I did have a very clear and perfect peace that we should adopt.  At that moment and since then, I have been 100% all in.  Little did I know that making that decision would be such a blessing even while we went through the paperwork and the waiting.  Seeing people who love us and our family and people that we don’t even know giving their time, money, and prayers to our child was humbling and inspiring.  It was a great look into the Church. 

“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

We decided on the country of Ethiopia and knew there was a little girl there that God wanted to put in our home.  We have named her Chloe.  Even though a girl has not been connected to our family yet, we wanted to give her a name so that our family could pray for her in a more personal way.  Our other three kids are just as excited as we are about Chloe joining the family.  They ask often when she is going to get here, try to give us pennies from their bank to help, and know that some of the sacrifices we are making now are making it possible to get their sister home.  As I just took a break from writing to tuck our little 3 year old in bed for a nap, he told me that when Chloe gets here he is going to teach her stuff. J 

This process has and will continue to be a learning experience for all of us in how our God has adopted us.  We are all children in need of a forever home and family.  It was once said that “the Bible is the story about a God who gets back what rightfully belongs to Him.”  It is true.  Because of what Christ did for us on the cross, taking the our sin that had separated us from God upon Himself and conquering death three days later, our sin is washed away and we are brought back into God’s family.

^“just as He chose us in Him ^cbefore the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to ^fadoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” Ephesians 1:4-5

Thank you for your prayer and support.  It is an amazing journey!  Even though I haven’t seen Chloe’s sweet face yet, she has already changed our lives. 

Congrats & Number

Congratulations Becky McDuffie----You are the lucky winner of the What's Cookin' Giveaway?

Did I mention we are #46 now?  :)

It is a bummer that the "place at edge of table" number would make one think that the desired outcome is coming any minute....but we know that is not true.  I do have a dear friend that is #1 for a boy and #13 on the list (after siblings/girls).  FYI---Just because our number is 46, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to wait for 45 referrals to come.  Many at the top of the list are waiting on siblings, some may be requesting a boy, most want an infant (0-12 months)---so hypothetically speaking we could be #20 for a girl that is 3 years old (no way of knowing for sure).  Lot's of other people waiting on visas to pass at embassy, etc.  Would you please join us in prayer for each of them to get their good news soon?

Now We're Cookin'!!! (& 4 Month Adoptiversary Giveaway)

So after a 4-5 month lull of absoulutely no referrals, this past week we got THREE!  So now we are #46 and so excited to see some movement.  We just need to keep those referrals cookin' so to speak (Insert Prayer Request Here). 
So for our 4 Month Waiting Anniversary we are doing a giveaway thanks to a dear supportive friend.  (Thank You Lisa Girdner)  Honestly, I wanted to keep these things myself, but alas, I will give them up to one of my blog followers.  :) 

So what we are giving away:

1.  Mini Loaf Pan (Stoneware) from Pampered Chef

2. One Rectangular Baker (13x9 Stoneware) from Pampered Chef

How do you enter you ask?  :)  Up to three entries:

1.  Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment below saying that you did so.

2.  Share my blog on facebook or twitter and leave a comment saying that you did so.

3.  Leave a comment about what's been cookin' in your life these days.  :)

Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Giveaway ends 11/11/11.  I will draw a random winner at 11:11 PM (because that just seems pretty perfect).

Finally Some Falling #'s and Fall Pics

Finally our waiting number fell this week to #47.  We had our first 2 referrals ever since being on the waiting list in July.  Our agency hadn't had one since mid-June.  So this movement was very much needed and gave everyone some hope that referrals are in fact going on in Ethiopia.  There was one other adoption of a special little girl back in July, that brings our number down to 47.  Please pray for more referrals to come in and for those waiting to pass Embassy that they can do that as well and go get their children!

We were able to have some fall family pictures taken and so far they have come out gorgeous.  I couldn't be happier.  This is just a sneek peak, can't wait to see the rest. Memories by Melanie Photography did such a great job.  The special chair I bought at an auction in Chris' & I's very first town we lived in when we got married: Seneca, MO.  I paid $11 for it and this little antique look a like has moved as many times as Chris and I.  To think we have basically had it our entire marriage and then to have it symbolize Chloe is tons of fun.

Melanie was also so nice.  These are the very kind words she said about us: I came in contact with this family a couple months back during their online auction that they held. Today, I met them and had the honor of photographing their family. Their family, that is not yet complete, is amazing. The chair in the pictures represents "Chloe". Chloe will be the 6th member of the "S" family and they will be adopting her from Ethiopia. They told me tonight that she will be between newborn - 3 years old. As I read their blog tonight, I noticed the ticker off to the side, they are just a little under 10 months into the adoption process and their home is waiting for this baby girl! And taken from their blog, this is why they will be bringing Chloe home. "We share the belief that one of God's most profound blessings is to experience a child by adoption and want to bless a child who can experience the love of God through adoption. We all have been adopted into God's Family and want to share that same love with others."

Personalize a photo slideshow