Hebrew 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
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This is Hope, Too
This Is Hope
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope. – Acts 2:26
“So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. –1 Thessalonians 5:11
And this is hope.
Do you see Her. Present yet hidden.
Bright yet shadowed.
Brilliantly encouraging, pouring her Love out in the darkness.
She gleams and shimmers and lights the unknown.
Whispering, come, take a step.
Take another, in Faith, don’t stay back.
Her invitation, gold leafed and signed with the pen of Grace, is issued in Love, hand-delivered.
She is confident, bold.
Boldly expectant.
She looks into the future and states with Love its good, its great, its waiting for you.
Did you see her uninvite despair to her party. No gold-leaf invitations to the Dance.
She guarantees fear will not be apart of her life celebration.
Can you hear her, see her, and smell her fragrance. Its sweet like jasmine vine with bees all swarming, buzzing all around.
Tell me you see her.
You will encourage me if you have. If you do. If you’re certain of Her. Will you tell me how you held out for Her. How you longed for Her and she lifted you on the days when you were weak and wet with tears.
And this is Hope.
Did you hear her quiet the spirit and still the heart.
Clearing the way for Joy. Marking the path for Mercy and Grace.
She is pointing us, leading us to the heart of God.
Did you hear her behind the dark cloud singing her Heavenly praise notes of encouragement.
If you did, testify to it.
Tell of it.
Spread her around.
Her song is tender, her words are gentle, her spirit is calm.
This is Hope. I long for her today.
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Knit, Woven, Loved
I ride down the familiar road, Highway 17, my home away from home in this one zipcode town.
It comes through the radio, her voice a bit shaky. I am used to half listening to her words, waiting instead to enter into heart singing or true singing with the next praise song.
She tells of a movie she has previewed which has left a mark on her. It is obvious she has been touched, moved by the story. I bend my ear, and listen, really listen.
And as she tells of the film, the charachters, the storyline I am a bit punched in the gut at the familiar places in my life.
This Weaver-God Creator-God has built with love like a mosaic of glorious stained glass my family, our family through adoption and through biological birth.
What a lavish, extravagant gift is a child. A child entering into the heart of the home through a gateway of love. Released in love by the arms of a mother. Into the arms of a mother.
It is the DNA of my family. My heart rests on this movie plot as it is shared by a audibly moved film-goer. The familiar chords it strikes resound and playback in my head and in my heart.
It is always, everytime without fail, a word that remains tender so tender to me, adoption. And yes, oh yes, I want to see this story on the big screen about how God has chosen and woven and moved in multiply lives, multiple families with His Grace and Mercy.
As I drive I try to discern the levels of tenderness of this particular story from just a short review on the radio. And I see an amazing prelude to my yearning after this story, having posted the music video here on this blog just days earlier for “October Baby.”
There are likely many differences between this story and ours, mine. But the very strong chain which links families touched by adoption is there. The common thread, it weaves, it binds, it sews. It stirs the heart. Like the two extra large knitting needles knitting one, pearl two form a masterpiece blanketing warmth of love and family. Two moms touch one life.
I light up and link hearts in a distinctly unique way with other moms of adoptive children. It binds hearts. A community within a community exits. And I am grateful to be, to humbly be, a part.
Psalm 139:13- 14 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God– you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration — what a creation!
Jeremiah 29:11-13 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out–plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.
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Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, But First Count Gifts
Simply counting gifts at the end of the day.
A joy.
A discipline.
An act of worship.
*For Spring in the heart, Spring in the Earth, Spring in the step.
*Friends with deep roots, friends with wide and deep love.
*Fellowship so warm and soothing.
*Belly laughs, wide grins, Precious heart time with women
*Happy children, hearts overflowing in the teenage years
*Very sweet time with” the prom date.” His gentle spirit and kind smile, clamy handshake shows he cares. A blessing.
*A husband who comes home late from working but still smiling
*Bear hugs at bedside
*Strawberry birthday cake — the best!!
*This one glorious High Definition Life and all its technicolor
*Jesus loving me, this I know
elizabeth w. marshall 