You know those times when you read something and you think-yep, that was written for me. This blog I am going to refer you on to today is one of those pieces for me and I hope you will get something out of it too. The quote above is from this blog and it is the hard lesson I have learned this year. (and I know it will be an on-going lesson my whole life!) The last few years as a stay at home wife/mom, I have been antsy. Trying to find my way, how I can impact others for eternity, do something meaningful. I have enjoyed it immensely too, don't get me wrong, but just never felt like I was doing enough. Like my days didn't really matter. This may come off as horrible to some of you, but just being honest. :) Maybe you can identify. Then, last year, we decided to move to Zambia in pursuit of adoption and missions work. Exciting stuff. I thought, now I am really going to serve the Lord, really going to be useful in His kingdom. And it was amazing-all year as I was helping at the preschool, training teachers, or assisting Mickey with medical outreaches, going to Bible studies with Heidi, working on adoption things, I felt like God was really using me.
Wow, was I missing IT.
We got the boys and life got crazier really quick. And finally I heard God's voice. "You are enough, Mandey." "You have enough." You are doing enough." "I am telling you no-trust me."
I knew I was supposed to say no to the adoption to say yes to my own family that God had already given me-at this time. Adoption is good, and it may be for us someday, but for now, this was a lesson I needed to learn. I am so thankful. Glad it happened before it was too late and they are gone, grown up...
"Your most meaningful work in the Kingdom of God may not be the big things that you do — but the one little person you love."
Last favorite quote from the blog in case you don't visit the link:
"It can be hard to prune good things that are blooming. It can be hard to remember why you are pruning.
Because there’s a counter-intuitiveness to it, this plucking off certain life activities that will yield good fruit. Some might even think it foolish to pare back, when the bloom and gifting apparent; a good harvest inevitable.
Yet it’s the pruning of seemingly good leaves that can grow a better life.
To allow later seasons to yield the longed-for abundant crop.
It takes courage to crop a life back — but it’s exactly the way to have the best crop of all. What seems like hard work that’s taking an eternity today — is exactly what may make the most difference in eternity.
Ann Voskamp
The Great Challenge
What are you saying yes to that you need to say no?
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