Time Out...Time In!

Well, the past two years have been INSANE!  In addition to our "new addition" and my "new calling" I have been working diligently to complete my master's in ministry and educational requirements for ordination through The Wesleyan Church.  I'm DONE!  I do have one last 2 1/2 day class to take in April, but my master's is DONE and everything else is DONE!  I know there's a chance that no one will read this because I've dropped off any blog radar there may be, but I'm using this as a chance to restart, nonetheless.

As a mom, the past couple of years have been stretching to say the least.  God has stretched me to the very edge of who I am so many times, I'm not even sure I'm recognizable anymore.  That's a GOOD thing...Just different.  My children are growing so quickly.  There are things we have discovered about a couple of them which have caused us to realize that sometimes damage cannot always be "undone" but that sometimes we have to learn how to operate and move ahead regardless of the past and regardless of what we can fully understand. 

Here's a short summary of a small part of the Good, the Bad & the Ugly from the past 2 years:  Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Reactive Attachment Disorder are REAL.  They do not just go away over time.  Disorders and Syndromes, however, are NOT beyond the scope of God's control nor His power.  We are clinging to that now more than ever before.  Even though it was not our direct choices which have brought about these circumstances into our lives, we still must pay the price and be faithful.  We have a choice on how we move forward.  We can move ahead with hopelessness and allow "nature" to run its course, whatever that may be or we can choose to cling to the hope of an all powerful God who can give us wisdom, strength and endurance to run the race marked out before us (Hebrews 12:1-2). 

I believe God can and desires to save the souls of ALL EIGHT of our children (II Peter 3:9).  I cling to the hope that He will.  I determine that I will operate under the fact that suffering is temporal  and that we are working and striving for things which are eternal (II Corinthians 4:17-18).  I will store up the tiniest of advances and allow the collection of them to strengthen my hope.  I will say OUTLOUD every day: The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God:, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2).  I will allow HIM to carry us and not my own strength or wisdom (Psalm 46:1 & I Corinthians 1:25).

I pray that wherever you find yourself at this moment in time, that you can understand that we all have our struggles.  They may look different from one family to the next, but God is the same God to each of us.  There IS victory in HIM alone for all who are willing to call upon His Name!