Why Would God Use Us? Why Not?


I feel like I've been downplaying my excitement over this in an attempt to be humble, but God is showing me that not praising Him from the rooftops over this amazing honor is dishonoring to Him. God took our far-from-perfect family this past year and gave it an extreme makeover. He has done so many amazing things through our life this year that our church, Life Church, one of the biggest mega-churches in the country, used OUR story in their annual report for 2011. What?! If anyone would have told me this was going to happen this time last year, I would have had them committed. A few other things that I can't believe God has done through us this year:
Poetry and Prose Photography
  • We have parented 6 kids under 6 in a 1200sqft, 3 bedroom house for almost 6 months. This was something that I never EVER considered doing until I met Miss A on Thanksgiving. It would be impossible to do this every day without God's help.
  • God provided us with a truck for Seth out of nowhere after I prayed for it for a month. 
  • He provided us with a car that will fit our whole family! The next week we got a letter in the mail saying that our minivan (that we had just traded in) was being recalled b/c of a major defect where we could lose the ability to go forward and reverse while driving. I believe it was confirmation that we did the right thing by getting rid of it! 
  • God provided us with a 7 bedroom house for $105,000 and the money to renovate it!! (Shortly before finding this house, our offer was outbid on another house that had 5 bedrooms. I remember saying to God, "Come on God! It's really going to be hard to do better than 5 bedrooms for that price!" Ye of little faith, HE said!! :) Our loan officer at the USDA office told Seth that he couldn't believe how everything worked out perfectly with our loan. He said that if Seth hadn't been offered the higher paying job out of the blue, we would have qualified for the house, but not for the extra money for renovations, which would have been a deal breaker. It is so cool to see how God works everything out for His purpose! 
  • Seth has been asked to speak at the statewide foster care conference, 8308, about our experience this past year. I am nervous as heck for him. He's quite confident that God will give him the words to speak though. :) 
  • We have befriended both of the birth moms of our foster children. Going into this, I wasn't planning on ever giving them any idea about who we were and where we lived. God did a work in us!! They now come over to our house for visits, I talk to them multiple times a week and they even know our last name! We truly care for both of them very much. It is a compassion that could only come from Jesus. 
  • Seth makes weekly visits to the prison to visit the birth father of our foster son. This man has given his life to Christ and is now ministering to other prisoners. 
This is some crazy, amazing stuff! Look at all He has done! This is not just the power of positive thinking. We were self-absorbed, judgmental people a year and a half ago. Praise you Lord for changing us and opening our eyes to what matters to You and Your heart.

What does God want to do through us now? You didn't think He'd stop at calling us to become foster parents did you? I kinda did. :) Well, I think He's now leading us into a ministry that focuses on the birth parents of these beautiful children in state custody. Whether they are incarcerated, living in poverty or in their teenage years, He wants us to reach out to them. Use us for your glory, Lord. We are yours.

How can God use you? Your family? I bet my life that He has a plan wilder than you could ever imagine. Give Him control. Life is so much better when you're working alongside God every day.


"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Ephesians 3:19

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