"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you"

Our girl is an orphan no more.

I've been a Christian for many years now. And truthfully, I've taken the lazy road when it comes to my relationship with the Lord. I know what God desires from me. He desires a daily relationship. He desires my heart. He desires my trust, my plans, my will, my control. He wants all of those things. He wants me to trust him, he wants me to forsake everything else for him. He wants me to love, forgive, serve, and seek him with everything I have.

Honestly, I've done none of those things very well. I've discovered that I've had a hard time forgiving, because I can't forgive myself. I don't mind serving, but I can assure you, I'm not a joyful server. I don't seek him, because I'm such a control freak, that I just assume I can "fix it" myself. Can you relate to that stupid notion??

I spent a lot of time thinking last week. I knew life was changing quickly for us, and I needed to really spend sometime praying, but more than anything, I needed to spend some time listening. I've thought a lot about this verse a lot. I used to think of it in terms of just God's heart on adoption. But the more I think about Maisie, the more I realize how God is speaking directly to me in this verse.

I think about how much Maisie has seen. How many times she has changed homes. How many times she's started a new school, left a school, moved to a group home, left a group home, and now live in a permanent home. I can't imagine that she's had a life that has never included sleep overs, a best friend who spends the night, the same school for more than a year. More than those things she hasn't had parents who love her just because she is Maisie. She hasn't had people she could go to and just cry, laugh, play with, or live with. I can't imagine. She really has been an orphan. I know God is using us to keep her from being and earthly orphan.

But, aren't we all orphans? At one point in all of our lives, haven't we been separated from God? I know for myself, I have. I know that because of my choices to be selfish, stubborn, and just rebelious, I've kept myself from the blessings God desires for me. But reading that verse reminds me of his promise to come to me. How awesome is that?

So, as I tucked my girl into bed for the first time as my daughter, for forever, I realize she's not an orphan, and praise God, neither am I!