Our New Door

This was stuck to our new exterior door that was installed Sunday while we were gone.  We went to unlock the door and had to do a double take to make sure we were at the right house!

Thank you to Raul and Lydia!

Did you read the letter? I hope you did. It brought tears to my eyes! We often think about the door of adoption that God is opening before our family's eyes, but neglect to think that a new door will be opened for the children as well.
I think about this new exterior door. How it's purpose is to keep OUT the elements of the weather that comes and goes. Wind, rain, snow, uncomfortable heat . . . It protects us from the ever changing weather.
It also keeps the controlled, predictable, and comfortable weather IN. The heat in the cold winter and the AC in the hot summer.
Only when this door is opened can we experience the weather on the other side. Sometimes the weather is unpleasant, requiring a coat to keep us warm against the cold or a tank top exposing us to the sun on our vulnerable skin. But many times the weather on the other side of that door is beautiful, radiant, pleasant, fulfilling, joyful, and invigorating. How will we know though, if we never walk through the door to find out?
In the mornings before walking Caedmon to school I will often go out on the porch to decide what kind of outer wear we all need for the walk that day. Lately, we've all needed at least a jacket, some days even our winter coats to protect us from the cold. One morning recently, I had felt that it was very cold out and I instructed the kids to put on their heavier coats. Payton though, thinking that she knew better for herself, decided to go without a coat. She cried the whole way to school because she was SO cold. She didn't have what she NEEDED because she chose not to obey. She chose to do things her own way and she ended up even more uncomfortable then the rest of us who were just a little cold. Since that day, she has put a coat on EVERY time I've told her to.
My point in all this is- When God allows a door to open we can either walk through it and experience the good AND the scary, or we can resist it and pull it back shut in disobedience and possibly missing out on some awesome blessings. God is such a provider though! He doesn't just open the door and push you out and say, "Good luck. Hope you don't freeze to death." or "Hope you find some shade." NO, He provides. He arms us with coats and hats and gloves and boots and sun screen! He provides us with HIS ARMOR! 
Do I have fear in walking through the door of adoption? Heck yeah! BUT my fear is overcome by the love of a Father that I know, knows me the best and knows what is best for me. He plans, He leads and guides and when the way gets uncomfortable from the elements, He provides strength and truth and peace and joy! I can only reside in that safety when I let Him be in control. It's nothing that I do that makes the walk more comfortable. Quite the opposite in fact. My mind can't grasp everything that He is capable of. 

Whatever your "open door" is. I pray that you walk through it in radical obedience and with the strength God provides rather then on your own understanding!

Ephesians 6:10-20

 ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

 ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.