No, I’m not pregnant.
Although that would be pretty interesting considering that Ada Bee is only {almost} four months old, haha. God has been stirring our hearts for his beloved in a big way. He’s spoken clearly to both my husband and I, extending an invitation to join Him on an incredible & wild new journey. Saying yes will change everything in our lives, rearrange our schedules and our home, uproot our normal, disrupt our comfort, infringe on our privacy, challenge our faith, and change us forever: F O S T E R C A R E . I want to pause in this moment and make it very clear that my intention for this post is to make much of Christ. I’m sharing this because we need prayer & support from the body of believers, not because I want you to applaud me. I do not deserve any praise. Matter of fact, the flesh in me wants nothing to do with foster care. The flesh in me wants to keep my handsome hubby and sweet new baby inside a well-manicured bubble for the rest of our lives, where we’ll remain happy & comfortable & safe. There’s just one issue with that plan- following Jesus isn’t comfortable or safe. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says that in order to follow him, we have to deny ourselves - our selfish desires, our comforts, our plans to remain unharmed - daily. The Christian life was never intended to be easy. Following Jesus was never supposed to look like warm cookies coming out of the oven, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a white picket fence out in comfortable suburbia while the rest of the world remains dead to their sins & we stand idly by without sharing the cure. This is our temporary home, and it’s not about us. I’m reminded of Matthew 14:22-33, where the story of Jesus walking on water is told. I’m going to recap quickly: Jesus had just finished performing the miracle of feeding 5,000 people with a meager five loaves of bread and two fish. Before going up on the mountain to pray and get refreshed, he sends his disciples on ahead to cross the sea without him. While they are smack dad in the middle of the water, a massive storm blows in. The wind & waves are going nuts, and then all of a sudden, the disciples see a man walking on top of the water, unfazed! They think it’s a ghost and start freaking out. {Spoiler alert: It’s Jesus}. Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid; it’s just him. I feel like Peter does exactly what I would do in this situation, and says: {my paraphrase} “okay, Lord, if it’s really you out there, tell me to come walk on the water with you. You’re doing something radical, and I want to get in on the action.” Jesus’ invitation is so simple: “Come.” And so, Peter steps out in faith. He WALKS ON WATER. I think sometimes when I read the Bible, I miss the reality of some of the key points. Like, humans CANNOT walk on water. It’s physically freakin’ impossible! How crazy is it that Peter actually did this through God’s power? SO CRAZY. Pretty quickly, Peter shows his humanity by taking his eyes off Jesus to look around at the storm, and he begins to sink into the sea. He cries out to Jesus to save him, and of course, he does, leaving Peter with this question: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter and Jesus head back to the boat and join all the other disciples. Jesus calms the storm, and everyone in the boat worships him, recognizing that he is truly the Son of God. Seriously, what an accurate depiction of my heart during this season - knowing that God is inviting me to take part in something bigger than myself; something that is impossible without him; something that requires me to step out of my boat of comfort and risk it all. And though I can see Jesus in the midst of the storm, I am still oh so afraid of what’s to come - the new relationships to navigate with case workers and biological parents, the potential behavioral or physical issues in a child entrusted to us, the heartbreak of investing & loving a baby as our own only to have him or her separated from us again. Like Peter, I know I’ll begin to sink under the weight of trying to carry the burden by my own strength, only to cry out, “Lord, save me!” and he will. He will immediately grab my hand and bring me to safety, challenging me once again for my lack of faith; asking, “Daughter, why did you doubt?" And all of these confusing, hard, extraordinarily beautiful things will surely bring me to my knees in worship of the Son of God. You might be wondering why we’ve decided to step out of the boat. Why are we doing this? The answer is simple: The need is great. God’s called us all to do hard things. And, quite simply, we have an extra bed. Jordan and I wanted to share this news with all of you because we need your prayers and your loving support. I don’t know how we’re going to do this without the body of Christ walking alongside us. I don’t think we can, and I don’t think we’re meant to. We need ya’ll, and so do these kids without a home. I believe with all my heart that if you are a true follower of Jesus, you have a part to play in orphan care. You can read more about that from my post back in November here. So, friend, here’s a personal invitation from me to you: come join us at the rest of these training sessions at our church if you’re local. Just show up, and pray for God to reveal his plans for your role as you learn more about the need. If you’re not in Roanoke, VA, get in touch with your city’s Department of Social Services. Ask your church what they’re doing to advocate for the oppressed and neglected. Jesus is calling, “Come.” So, fluff those pillows on your extra bed. Step out of the boat with me.
6 Comments
Amy Hemingway
5/8/2018 07:41:49 pm
I will be prayer my for you
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Ashley
5/13/2018 12:02:55 am
Thank you, Amy!
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CHRIS CRAFT
5/8/2018 08:25:06 pm
I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU BOTH FOR GODS GUIDANCE & PEACE !!!!
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Ashley
5/13/2018 12:03:18 am
Thank you, Chris!
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Jeanette Sams
9/12/2018 08:16:28 am
God's grace will guide you through this decision. God knows that you, as a couple, have so much to offer this precious child. My prayers are with you and your whole family and we will watch God do wonderful and marvelous things through your example.
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Ashley
9/14/2018 10:41:43 pm
Thanks so much for the kind words, Jeanette. We appreciate those prayers!!
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Ashley Setterlind: Jesus lover, wife, new mama to a baby girl. Archives
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