Recently

 

 

  Our senior is now 11 and he chose a flag football kind of party to celebrate this big year!

  He is a true gift of strength, joy and loyalty to our family.

 

 

His birthday just happen to be the day after we landed from our voyage from the States, after five months of being away from our home here. We postponed until the weekend and thankfully by that time cupcakes got made and we had our baggage pretty much unpacked.

 

 

 The boys have really taken to checkers, chess and risk these days. Its a great way to get out some of that natural competitiveness and make them think a bit during free time.

 

 

These lovely flowers were a gift  to our family from some of the football players that Hubs coaches. They handed them to us as soon as we landed. Then they graciously loaded our crew and our crazy amount of luggage and drove us home.

 

 

This boy is a favorite of all ours...and he loves him some football. At least the helmet.

 

 

A glorious night in our neighborhood--so we enjoyed some extra outdoor time as a family.

 



She is three.  Her request: Chinese dumplings for dinner and apple pie for dessert. She's our little Southern Chinese girl!! This girl radiates pure joy and love. 

Mercy's Heart

Over a year ago, I was missing a child I had yet to hold in its newborn perfectness. I sensed a need for the one we had been lost before we even met, and yet our children’s bedrooms seemed already filled to the brim. Lots of needs spilled out on most days, and with four former orphan hearts and one dependent toddler it was enough to put me at the worn out point each day. There never seemed to be more to give each day yet He always filled my pitcher with just what I needed for what each day required. Sure there were moments of sin and faintness, but the constant remainder with His tender ways that the more I am emptied the more I will see Him in Christ’s full glory was the everyday purpose and joy.

 

I poured…He filled to enough.

I was content and still there was daily a quiet prayer between me and my Father. I uttered the words unsure that the desire would ever be met. The prayer was for mercy. I didn’t know if it was in a general sense over my life and my family or was it a person. I sensed that there was a little girl and that God in His majesty would reveal His mercy through this miraculous life whether a baby from my own womb or a beautiful-broken-perfect story with another adoption or just in our families life being used for His glory.

 

Now over a year later…

In our final weeks in America this summer, the Lord awakened us to welcoming another into our already bustling family. He led us to a precious little girl, living in our adopted home country. China now not only held our worldly goods, all waiting for us in our fourth floor apartment, now it held our heart. One that has been given a life of heartache, both physically and emotionally.

 Our family is led to a place of complete dependence and pure joy in the new journey of adding one who was born with a life threating heart condition that has led her to weakness and physical suffering. A year after a daily prayer begging for mercy, recently looked back on my journal at that time, now know it was at a critical point for her weakening body, a surgery that meant life for this gift of Mercy.

 

As her soon to be parents, we will daily be reminded of this life that can be painful even in the tiniest breath or by trying to keep a busy toddler from exerting too much energy as she will run and play beside her five older siblings.

Though there will be limitations, already this one has given us a vision into the heavenly’s with His watch care of this one darling girl. Our prayer is to be a shade in a parched land and to strengthen the weak with a strength from our Maker.

 A theme of Forever continues to flow and our life moves on to a seed like journey of faith and seeing His Kingdom come as He brings to us one in need of love. We are confident that she will no doubt pour out to us much more to our hearts than we could ever give in return.

 

We covet your prayers as we continue on in the journey of preparing our home, hearts and children for this dear one. There is more paperwork to overcome and more mountains that need to be moved, but oh how confident we are of His working and provision. Please be praying for our precious Mercy for her health and her desire to be ready to join our tribe. We would appreciate your prayers for us as its especially hard knowing she is out there and awaiting love and a future critical surgery.

 

Oh, and also just so you know…the other five can’t wait to bring their baby sister home. They amaze me with a spirit of embracing everyone and every situation.

Where Much of it Began-Iraqi Christians a Faithful Witness

"I'm staying.

I already feel dead,

 only my soul remains,

and if they want to take that

I don't have a problem."

 

(The words of an Iraqi Christian)

 

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At this moment a great tragedy is taking place in the birthplace of civilization, most likely not too far from the place where God spoke and created man in His own image.

It is the land of a sojourner named Abraham and the land that heard the warnings of the prophet Jonah. Abraham left this place by God’s command to, “Go from your country…and I will make you a great nation.” The prophet Jonah proclaimed from this spot that God forgives and utterly saves when we cry out. These people were the rebel ones, but when hearing from the prophet’s mouth that their home was to be destroyed, believed in God and called for a fast.From the least to the greatest, the king and the beggar fasted. They cried out to the Lord, and He heard. He relented when He heard the people’s cries.

The land where Christians have been witnesses since two of Jesus disciples spread the news of the Son of God and His glorious resurrection.

Two thousand years of history they have held onto the truth.

Throughout history it has been a place of deep roots with the fear of God and a place where Christianity has thrived. A place where war, persecution and displacement have been what marks their testimony.

 

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These roots are being threatened.

Those from the ISIS have demanded these Christians to flee or die. It is tragic. It is only the work of God that can make this evil act be used for good.

Through the veil we can peer in and see that even the darkest of days can be made to reveal His light.

Those with evil intentions are trying to remove this light. This testimony of a faithful God guarding over His church.  The evil one would like nothing more than to remove this “city on a hill”.

My heart aches for these who have seen their ancient churches burned and destroyed. I hurt for these who leave with nothing but their weary bodies and loved ones and live in a land that is not their own. I ache for those who remain and count the cost.

 

 

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 I know that the Church does not need a building for Christ to be proclaimed. I realize that God is greater than these evil forces who try and remove the people of His grafting. I understand that those who share in Christ suffering will one day serve Him night and day and His presence will forever be their covering.

Like Esther, King Hezekiah and the people of Nineveh, I know that He hears the cries of His people. That even if we have never suffered in this way, we can intently be on our knees for these our brothers and sisters.

My voice feels so small and I wrestle with the “what”. I hear Him speak to my heart: Fast. Pray. Speak.

Put down your chic-Fila or your bowl of rice and get on your knees for these dear, brave ones.

Put aside that you don’t know what this suffering entails, and don’t do it because it might be at your doorstep someday.  Pray. Petition a gracious Father on behalf of His children. Intercede and carry the burden for these who are wandering in a new land or remaining planted in the land of their fathers. Beg that they would remain faithful no matter what is required.

Put aside the news social media news concerning the temporal and speak to your neighbor, your representative, tell your children and your Facebook friends and let the world know that as the Church we will stand with our fellow believers around the world.

It might feel as though we are insignificant yet He hears. I must hold onto the fact that He works in the -small things and insignificant beginnings like a seed and a spark.

 

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The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hear their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:18-19

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear…      Isaiah 59:1

“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:21

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11

For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. 2 Kings 19:34

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (14) Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.(19)

Jonah 3; Rev 12:11; Rev 7:13-17; 2 Kings 19 (32-34, 15-19); Col 1:10-14; Phil 2:14-7; Isa 63:15-19; Prov 29:10; Prov 24:11; Isa 58; I Peter 4:12-19; Zech 4:10

Nomads for the summer

The sun disappears towards our home in the east; the days of summer are longer and renewing our strength with each added hour of daylight. Our schedule has eased without the constraints of a rigorous work and school schedule. Family is within minutes and we often visit parks and the library along with lots of doctor’s visits with several crisscross trips across the nation to visit loved ones and fellowships.

Grocery runs now become a place of “It’s my turn, you went last time.” No more loud announcements and masses of people with interesting fishy smells. We actually find the trip to the local grocery store quite relaxing. I walk down the Asian aisle and I am immediately taken back to Chiner.I miss our home in the East. I miss dear friends and wish that facetime dates could be more consistent with sweet sisters back in Asia. I decide to add tofu to the dinner menu because there is just a hankering too strong to forgo. I grab soy sauce and head to get the cherry tomatoes for the pasta trying to grasp that life for our family feels like two completely different worlds.

A collision of our worlds.

My youngest daily request the Chinese dumpling, her favorite food, but in the same breath she begs me to let her in assisting me make a homemade apple pie. After 2 days of prepping for a not so fun procedure, I was craving everything (I believe I actually dreamt about food while under anesthesia) and so the next day after the procedure, I head to the store and purchase all the needed ingredients to meet this request. Apple pie and quality time with my girl seem like the perfect way to get back into normal life.

Our kids sure enjoy some jaozi (dumplings)



and apple pies!

We bake the pie and all seems to be well in our little world. I marvel at the gift of life and the friends and family that we have shared treasured moments with these past few months.  From college friends to best China friends visits, to holding our nephews for the first time, life seems to be passing quickly as we try and savor each moment.

A football scrimmage at my hubs alma mater, rollie-pollies found in abundance, Lewis, Clark and the dog adventures (little G thinks that the dog must be included as he was of utmost importance to the expeditions of the Missouri River). All of this has become a beautiful patchwork of a summer of memories.

The past two summers have been some of our busiest times, a husband with studies, others to take care of and a business to get rolling. My time was spent lugging our lemon-ish design Target beach bag and five kids back and forth from the pool. It was a brisk pace of life and we have needed a slower pace.

We are beginning to take deeper breaths, far away from pollution and bodies are beginning to heal from the wear and tear of city living. School is still in session in our home as we went from homeschooling three to five. After weeks of adjustment for all of us, the lessons being learned and the hearts being poured out in journals, makes it strengthening to all of our souls.

We are seeing again, that one is never away from the battle and to keep our gloves up, as the enemy looks to steal, kill and destroy no matter the continent. We have tasted His goodness and realized that even all the Tex-Mex that these last few months have offered truly can't satisfy a hungry soul. We have learned that someone can cause pain and hardship even with an ocean between us. We are stopping and seeing that our kids really are growing up way too fast and what a gift to see genuine joy spill out in their everyday life with big smiles and the sweetest little giggles. We realize that we appreciate a blue sky in ways we never did before. We are seeing our sin even when lots of big stressors have been taken out of the equation. Really it just makes us realize how much we are in need of His continued deep work in our hearts. We are sensing a love of a Father that envelops all of us as He pursues and pours out His generous love.

This summer is not about seamless days and ease. It is about us holding onto His promises, seeing Him in it all and us taking precious moments to sit with Him and with each other as we beg for mountains of mercy as we sojourn in this land.

The upside down rainbow seems like it fits pretty well for us the little nomads.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who call us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Fort this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, with self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:3-7

 

 

Living the Foreign Life

The land was foreign. He was the foreigner.

It was a place of no familiarity but with each step Abraham headed to the place of promise. The journey was leading him further and further away from his home and closer to fulfilling the forever promise.  Each step led Him closer to God. The Lord spoke, “I will make you a great nation because I AM your God.”

 

The journey was long and rugged. Desert lands and waters crossed. Setting up camp and tearing down over and over again and spoken of as the stranger wherever he went.

 

Along the journey God gave him insights; this will be home for your people someday.

 Keep going.

It will be home…one day.
He did things like plant trees and build altars.
Gave a tenth of everything (which was quite a lot) and received visitors.
Pitched a tent and looked up to count the stars.

He worshipped the Eternal Creator.

 There were those who looked at his success and intimacy with God with awe. There were those who looked at him as the foreigner from Ur…or Haran.

I am sure there were times he felt unwelcome. I am certain there were days when all he wanted to do was go back to the home of his ancestors. No doubt he craved his grandma’s home-cooking.

The comfort of the familiar can lead us to a life of trying to pitch our tent in this our temporary home instead of living each breath with the hope of being with the One who sits enthroned forever.

Still the voice of the Lord was clear; Go out from your land. Leave your relatives.
Go out from where those who look like you and talk like you and eat like you.Go. And pitch that tent of yours.

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He might be calling to you…

Leave that neighborhood of yours…take that new job…adopt that sibling group…enroll in school...teach that children’s class…give that tax money away…stay right where you are.

The Lord’s callings so different for each of us though the promise of the His nearness and goodness are each of our guarantees.

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As a child He spoke that I was to go.

Leave your family and home.

You know those people who really get you and love you regardless of your mood or selfish ways. The ones who knew you when you were an awkward seventh grader with glasses trying to rock the plaid skirt. Those loved ones who embrace you each time you return home.

For six out of the seven past years we have planted our trees and dug wells in a foreign land. We have aimed daily at making this place our home away from home. Then somewhere along the way our hearts have made room for another place that we call home.

Though we continue to be the foreigner with the tall nose, something about the daily struggle to live in a strange land, and a deep love for the people, He does something un-natural for your being that doesn’t prefer change. Your family no longer next door, you begin to depend and treasure those whom just a year ago were strangers. The forever home becomes your view and a confidence that He can make even the foreign familiar on this earth renews your trust.

The foreign truly becomes familiar.

Then I see that tree we planted or read the journal entry when He said “Go”. I see how the Lord has held us during the hardest wilderness thus far. You count it joy that all of those things that used to feel culturally odd now start to feel normal and love pours out. The granddad starting his morning by hitting himself against a tree feels normal and healthy. The crowds of people that gather around your children to take pictures all those sausages hanging from your neighbor’s patio and riding my bike to meet up with a friend on a Monday night are just everyday life.

Then the countdown begins for how many more nights we have until we return

“home” and we can look up to the heavens and actually see the stars without the pollution stealing the glory of His nightly show.

 The days ahead of soaking up family time with parents, siblings, cousins and college friends feels way too good to even imagine. It seems a dream to have more than a few days. The Lord truly is the giver of all good things. We open our mouths wide and He pours out in abundance.

The packing begins and my mind and heart processes these past three and half years. They were so good and yet so painful.

 The Lord so near though there was some tearing. A glorious work in many hearts unraveled and wrapped up in Christ love. A deep working in my own heart as it was broken and re-broken. Lives were restored and friendships made. Healings performed and sisters bonded for life. Three new children added to our family. A marriage strengthened by the crushing’s and joys of life. Chinese food inhaled by each one of our children.

I think of the plane trip in less than two weeks. I realize that though Chipotle with all its tiny bowls of guacamole and parks of grass where our children can roam are ahead, there is a life that we have made here. Life doesn’t remain on hold just because we leave our other home. Friends will move on from this place, our apartment walls cracks from previous earthquakes will continue tearing off paint and our language abilities will most likely regress. What will relationships look like once we cross the pond? Will relationships with loved ones be distant or will we fit right back where we used to be?  What about the big Sunday service? Will we judgmental to those whom live above our set standard of living? Home now seems unfamiliar at parts.

HE has made ready our home…and with each step away we see promises fulfilled and God’s faithfulness revealed.

Home is with Him.

 
For the sake of the gospel, the status of foreigner, now seems sweet and though it can cause a culture day now and then, it brings a joy from above that as a girl He made it clear to me that His callings surpass our dreams of comfort and security.

All the while the longing for the eternal home satisfies this thirsty soul and keeps me pressing in so that my life will tell of His promises throughout all generations.

Goodbyes said and tears shed…Lord willing we will make that voyage west in just a few short days.

Get ready our tribe is headed your way! And we want to see you all!!!! We are EXCITED to GO home!!

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Gen 21:33-34; Gen 12:7; Gen 14:20; Gen 18; Gen12:8; Gen 15:5; James 1:17; Acts 7;

Rev 21:22-23; Isa 60:1-2; Ps 81:10; Jer 29:5-7;Ps 107:9; Ps 37;James 4:8; Ps 145:9

 

 

 

Before you cross

Pondering these days on this time two years ago, it still makes my heart flutter a little bit. I hold on with a greater grasp and with a deeper understanding that He certainly does guide and make all things new even in the midst of struggle.

-----I stood at the bank, the waters stopped and the rest of the journey was ahead.

My body weathered from a difficult pregnancy and c-section. Our tiny four week old baby preemie had just begun to find the source of provision and no longer was the bottle her place of safety. Weeks before her birth, we had brought home two boys that were worn from years of hardship and a sense of not being wanted and cherished. One floundered, the other surviving as both were trying to take on a new role, family, culture, language and country. The little boys scooted over and let these new big brothers fill their shoes. They graciously loved, yet at times struggled to know their place.

 My husband pushed us all to prepare for setting sails in a few days. Four months before I had packed bags in a day and took a language test to leave our home in Asia because of pregnancy complications. Now I was filling suitcases for seven with the basic necessities. I was still not quite comfortable with having a newborn as she was my first and I wasn’t sure what an eight year old would like to play with for the next three years.

Those on the outside might have believed we were blossoming. Pictures showed happy smiles and matching outfits on these once orphans, but we knew that they only showed us what was really going on in their storm-tossed hearts. We were all stumbling and looking for the Savior to grab us by the hand.

I stood there that day packing in weariness questioning, not His will, but how were we to survive the 60 plus hour return trip let alone living together in a foreign land away from family and familiar. We barely knew each other and there seemed to be more brokenness being spilled out then joy of a new family formed. My lot seemed especially heavy during that season. I begged Him to see me in my weakness and give me rest.

I stepped in the waters. The Father’s tender words reminding me of my covenant to follow and forsake myself; I had vowed these words eight years before as we became husband and wife on that hot and humid July day. No matter the voyage, I chose to follow.

Actually, it began as a six year old as I gave Christ my heart and then years after during my freshman year in college – I laid my life down and said, “I consider everything a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus.” It is the phrase that has held me together on times when the wilderness seemed endless.

My heart will always be His so I want to follow even when it doesn’t feel good or seem like the easy path.

The waters parted and we crossed the ocean to follow His calling.

Leaving the wilderness does not mean that our days of suffering our complete, it means the abundant is ahead hidden with lurking enemies, mortal temptations and a land flowing with abundance.

As we step over we place that stone down and remember His workings, deliverance and promises fulfilled. Just as He hovered over us as we marched on in the wilderness so too His presence will be our sustainment as we begin to take possession.

We all have endured pain, whether it is a new land, ache of a lost family member, death of a loved one, a sister revealing her faith just wasn’t as genuine as we believed, a broken child, financial woes or a distant spouse.

Our faith remains constant even if our emotions and strength falter.

The path up until this point has been treacherous and thrilling. Day of hardship has been met with acts of provision and awesome works. The Sustainer of all meets the need even when complaining lips were the source of a request from a worn people. He knows our sufferings and though His heart detests our questioning of His goodness, He still hears.

 He is the means of rescue from the enemy, He hears our every cry.

It is through each of these that we see the Lord’s provision and goodness. He graciously gives us seasons in the broad places and there we rest and prepare for the journey ahead; because the giants have already been seen and we know that battles are ahead.

We must remind ourselves again and again that what we are really longing for are for our feet to be in our forever home.

Life is beautiful but there were (and are) certainly days of affliction. We cry tears of pain and we laugh with hearts full of thanksgiving. On our best days a little more life draws us together as we hope for what another day will bring.

This God in His ways surpass what we hoped and even knew possible.

He led us to barren places and to those with a view too beautiful to capture.

We are learning to trust Him again and again that He is truly good.

Trust Him that He is goodness. Trust Him as He ask you to take that step of faith resting confident ---that He is present in the storm and feast.
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A new year brings with it a new way to prepare for the glory unseen. Our family is choosing to embrace the journey and struggle in this year of great mercy.

From glory to glory…