Trusting...

When we started our adoption journey I knew it would be full of times that we would have no other option than to trust the Lord. He has been so faithful to care for us and provide for us. After all, that is what a Good Father would do.

So, when we started this whole moving across the country thing, I knew it would be full of more trusting. I knew there would be things that we just can't control, that we just can't know right away. I would say that trusting and laying down my worry is one of the hardest things for me. Here's the difference with me though...I trust that it will all turn out alright. I trust that God is doing something incredible and His plans for us are good. My problem is trusting for each detail and not being able to control it myself. I want to DO something and just, you know, move things along a little so that I can SEE some evidence. But, knowing our God wants to teach us and stretch us, He is always giving us crazy things that we cannot even try to control! It's a place of surrender over and over. It's me giving it over to Him and saying, "I know...I know you said you've got it."

Because this is something I struggle with, I am fascinated by George Mueller. George Mueller was a pastor and an orphan advocate in the 1800's. He wasn't just that though...A.T. Pierson, who wrote his biography, said he was someone that "devised large and liberal things for the Lord's cause.” He never asked for money and never took a loan or went into debt. He didn't even take a salary for the last 68 years of his ministry. He never went hungry and neither did the children he cared for. He took God at His Word. He believed that no matter what happened, God is still good.

So I am committing to trust what I cannot see. To trust God with the big and the small.

*That the right person would come along and want to rent our house.

*That I would find the right job in the right school. There are a LOT of schools in Ft. Worth! *That Brian could also get a job (preferrably one on campus b/c it would help with tuition). *That Isabel's heart would be strengthened and that God would comfort her as we move and provide the perfect school for her.

*That we would be able to rent the apartment that we have found that seems to be a great fit for our family.

*That our adoption journey would continue smoothly. We already know of people to contact, we're just waiting until we are a bit closer.

*That God would continue to provide for the rest of our adoption expenses.

*That God would provide friends for us.

*That we would find a new church home.

"Everything that I desire really may not meet my needs. Help me to seek first your Kingdom, You'll provide for me. Your grace for me is all I need, all I need is here. Your grace for me is all I need, all I need is here." -"Grace for Me" by Michael Gungor Band

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" -Matthew 6:25-27

Ft. Worth highlights

Brian's highlights of the trip to Fort Worth

1. On the shuttle to the rental car terminal, Brian was asked about why he wants to be a pastor by a famous pimp/brothel owner that has a reality show on HBO. He was able to share the Gospel with him and the guy said he had never heard that God could love and care about him. This story needs its own blog post. Craziness.

2. He ate Texas BBQ Beef Brisket for the first time. He went to a place called Cousin's and it was great!

3. He saw where his classes will be and went on a tour of the whole campus. He learned about the history of the school and what some of the future plans of the school are.

4. He saw the Mission House (where they keep up with all of the missionaries that are a part of SWBTS around the world). Every Friday night, they pray for a particular country and celebrate its culture and listen to someone speak that is from that country or has worked as a missionary there.

5. He visited the campus library. It is the 3rd largest theological library in the world. They have an active Biblical archaeology museum.

6. He attended a Chapel service on Wednesday morning.

7. He ate lunch with 2 professors that spent time getting to know him. They shared about their church planting program. They have a program called 2+2. A student would go full time for 2 years to the seminary. Then you team up with the IMB (International Mission Board) to go to another country for 2 years. While you are there you plant a church. They are working on getting a program set up with the NAMB (North American Mission Board) to work in Mexico for the 2+2.

8. He toured the housing owned by the school and we've decided to look into some other apartments nearby so that we can keep our cat, Jasmine. Isabel would be devastated if we had to give her away....wait, so would I! :) The prices of the nearby apartments are within our budget so that is good news. We are working with someone that the seminary recommended to help us find a good place for our family.


9. He visited the Stockyards which is a National Historic District. A long time ago it was used for selling mainly horses and cattle. Today it has restaurants, shops, and they still do a cattle drive twice daily. Unfortunately, Brian missed the cattle drive because someone drove into a telephone pole and a live wire was in the street causing massive delay and a detour.

10. He drove around the city checking everything out (and making sure they had a Chick-fil-A) and he decided that he loved it.

All in all it was a great trip!

God used it to further confirm that Ft. Worth is where He is calling us!

Brian arrived today!

Brian's first Texas meal! Sliced brisket!