You know how you'll hear something several times over the course of a few days; the same message coming in different forms? I so want to conduct myself properly, in a God-honoring fashion in the midst of this adoption turmoil. I wonder: Should we just continue to wait and be patient? Or is it time to stand and fight? In the last week, I keep hearing about the palpability of the spiritual warfare in Africa. I'm hearing about it from adoptive families who have been there, and those who are there. And the Pastor who was at our church before we came is in town with his family right now--they are missionaries in South Africa. (As a side note, it has been super fun to get to know them a bit, and to talk with them!) They too have talked about how obvious the spiritual warfare is in Africa.
As I listen to the testimonies of others, and read the Bible and pray, a few verses keep rising to the surface: Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." I Peter 5:8-9: "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him..." Nehemiah 4:14: "...Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters..." Through prayer, study, and meditation, it is becoming clear to us that it is a time to stand and fight.
For starters, Kendra and I were doing our morning devotion, and our chapter for today was Psalm 8. Verse 2 says, "...You have taught children... to give You praise. They silence Your enemies." And so we continue to praise God in the midst of this mess. That's our first move. We are praising God for the littlest things... like Grandma Kay coming to visit:
and re-decorating the trunk in our entry (100 times a day!):
and cracking up because I keep cutting my head off while trying to use my new remote:
