Eating the Elephant

I'm a good Texan carnivore. So I love me a big juicy steak. You know, the kind where your eyes are bigger than your mouth, and so sometimes you cut yourself a bite that just looks so perfect and amazing. And then you put it in your mouth and you realize that you may have just cut a bite that's just a little to big? And you chew. And chew. And chew some more. But this thing is just ginormous. And so you sit there like a dummie with a giant ball of steak in your cheek? Not wishing that you weren't eating the steak, but just wishing that you had cut a smaller bite?

Ever been there? You pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Getting started with foster care is just like that. But with paperwork. I knew a lot would be required. But applications, acknowledgements, policies, questionnaires, autobiographies...

The Type A in me is going a little crazy wanting to get everything done all at once. It can be especially overwhelming because there are two people in this group project who have homework to turn in. And I have no control over their work. I'm over here like OMGGGG and the other party is over there like OK, cool...

It's this balancing act that I think God might be telling me to work on. It's this thing where I have to let go of some of my control. Ok, probably ALL of my control.  Because let's face it ladies, we can tend to get a little controlling, amiright?!? Can I get an Amen?!?

The thing is, in the foster world, that is the one thing that we will have NONE of. Control. We will have ALL of the responsibility, and yet NONE of the control. NONE of the rights. I can't even cut my child's hair without permission from the state.

*Insert wide-eyed emoji here*

As I venture out on the paperwork journey, the Lord keeps giving me this illustration though, of taking a bite that's too much to handle. Of eating a Chipotle burrito. (Come on, those things are gigantic...)

A lifelong friend of mine who has walked this path before me reminded me that we're, "Eating the elephant one bite at a time." The Lord is funny like that. Quirky, if you will. He gives you a picture, and then pounds it into your head over and over with different views of it.

Texas-sized steaks.

Chipotle burritos.

Eating an elephant.

And yet the message remains the same: "Beloved, just trust Me. I have given you this task. And you can only overcome it one small portion at a time. I have put this elephant in front of you, and you must eat it all. You will accomplish it. With My help you will overcome. But you can only do it one small bite at a time. But I will be with you always, even till the end of the age."

And so here I sit at this table, mountains of food in front of me that I must consume. Wide eyed, and mystified at what's in front of me. But ready to take it on, one bite at a time, with my God at my side.

What is the elephant that sits in front of you? Let this be an encouragement that the Lord will be with you, and that you can overcome it, one small bite at a time.

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Ready or Not!

February 2, 2017. Today. It's finally here. A day that we have been counting down to since July when the Lord definitively revealed to us His call to foster care. This is a day that I have looked forward to with eager anticipation and nervousness, all at the same time.

Today we begin our training.

Today is the day that changes everything. Today is a day where everything moving forward is pushing toward one goal: mothering and fathering children in need of a loving family. Whether they are with us for a short time, or a lifetime, today we officially begin our journey toward parenthood.

As you go throughout your day, would you lift up in prayer, not only us, but the other families who will be joining us tonight in our training. That we would keep our eyes focused on this call that God has placed over us, and that we would not look to the right or to the left, but only on the path that He has set out for us.

Would you pray in agreement with us that the schemes of the enemy would be in vain, as he tries to prevent us and the other families from carrying this mantle.

Would you pray that schedules open up and that time is protected, so that we all can make it safely and on time to the training, not only today, but for the rest of the training as well over the next few weeks.

Would you pray that our minds and our hearts would not get overwhelmed with information overload, and that we will just take one thing at a time, and look to the Cross for provision and direction.

Would you pray favor and blessing over these families starting their journeys today.

I can't tell you how humbled we are that God has called us here. Ready or not, here we go!

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