DeniseCox.com

Our Safety is in God alone
The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. Psalm 91:1
What do we need to do? REST; ABIDE; DWELL; REMAIN
How do we rest with God? What does that look like? What does it mean to be at home with God – to feel that friendship with Him?
One of the things I like best about God is that He is a communicator. He communicates to us through His Word. He also likes it when we talk to Him. Sometimes, people refer to praying as talking to God. That is true; we can talk to God anytime, anywhere! Sometimes I have an ongoing conversation with God out loud or in my head. That’s what He wants – He wants us to recognize that He is involved in every aspect of our lives. In prayer, if we are listening, God will speak to us. Prayer is like a conversation with God – you and God listening to and talking with each other.
Our enemy, the devil, wants to fill our hearts with fear. He does not want us to communicate with God, and he does all that he can to distract us from being able to hear from God. He certainly tried to scare the person who wrote this Psalm. Anyone want to guess who wrote Psalm 91?
Many Bible scholars believe that Moses is the one who wrote this Psalm! There are so many things that Moses faced while in the wilderness leading the Israelites. There were battles, there were times when they were being chased by enemies, there were times when his own people complained about him. Certainly, any one of these could make a person afraid!
The devil loves it when God’s children are scared. He wants to scare us away from God. Sometimes he even tricks us into thinking that God is bad. While there are many horrible things in this world, but we must remember that God is ALWAYS good, and Satan is the one who is bad. Satan tries to scare us with death, pain, suffering, cancer, stroke, disease, and heart-attack. He tries to scare us with divorce, separation, and family fights. He tries to scare us with sin, evil, and wickedness.
But no matter how hard the devil tries, he cannot succeed in driving God’s children away from the Lord. In verses 1 and 2 Moses explains why the devil cannot succeed:
The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. – Psalm 91:1
We can tell God everything that we’re afraid of (Share personal examples – I am afraid to be outside with no light; I am afraid to drive in heavy traffic when it is raining). Then we can ask God to tell us what HE wants us to think (I am always with you; I will never leave you).
We can tell God what makes us sad: Then we can ask God what He wants us to know about our feelings of sadness.
We can tell God when we’re disappointed – when we’ve really done all we can do and still, a situation doesn’t turn out the way we think that it should.
• Joseph – sold as a slave; falsely accused; forgotten in prison (but remembered by God)
• Moses – Led the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness; they were complaining and stubborn. The people could NOT provide for themselves. They could not plant, harvest, or manufacture anything. They had to completely depend upon God. God supplied manna one day at a time. He did this to show His people that HE ALONE was their Provider; they could no longer rely on Egypt to supply their food – only God could do that. This lesson should only have taken 30 days, but instead, it took 40 years. Moses and his people were truly in a desert place in the wilderness.
• Elijah – showed everyone that the Lord was God, yet was chased by the evil Queen Jezebel
• John the Baptist – faithfully proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, yet he was beheaded
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken (Ps. 62:5-6).
We can tell God what makes us happy: The next time something happens that makes you so happy, praise the Lord and tell Him! Ask Him what He wants you to know!
No matter what you’re going through or how you’re feeling, you can REST in God! That’s all He asks you to do – REST. That image is so peaceful for me. When I remember that that’s really where I am, resting in God, I sense God’s peace.
What is the opposite of rest? Anxiety; stressed out; over-busyness
What God does:
He lets us in His “secret place”. Do you have a favorite hiding place? Do you have a place where you “escape”?
God has a secret place just for you. It is in His shadow. When you are this close to God, He tells you things that you didn’t already know (I Peter 1:12). He reveals things to you (Amos 3:7). That’s what He did for Moses – the one who wrote this Psalm (Psalm 103:7).
Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
Some translations of the Bible call this secret place the Shadow of the Most High God
(Side Bar Note: There are many people who believe that God uses angels to protect us. Angels are God’s messengers, and they do stand guard over every Christian. Always remember that it is GOD who is the Source of our protection; angels are from HIM).

Psalm 91:2 I will say about the Lord,
“He is my place of safety.
He is like a fort to me.
He is my God. I trust in him.”

I am not sure when I discovered Psalm 91, but clearly, it has now become my favorite chapter in the Bible and one that I think about many times a day. This chapter in the Bible is so rich and so powerful – it can change your life forever!

There is a story entitled the Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent, and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent for years, constantly searching for diamonds and wealth – which he never found.
Meanwhile, the new owner of this farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by, and in viewing the rock, he became very excited! He told the new owner of the farm that that funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm told him that his land was covered with them – and sure enough, it was!
The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine – the richest the world has ever known!

The original farmer was literally standing on Acres of Diamonds until he sold his farm. If only he had known…..

Just as this man had diamonds in the field that he already owned, we’ve had Psalm 91 in our Bibles – forever! Few of us have recognized the extent of the promises held in this Psalm. God’s promises are FAR BETTER than diamonds or gold or anything else that is valuable!

Psalm 119:72 The law You gave is worth more to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Psalm 119:127 I love Your commands more than gold.
I love them more than pure gold.

Does it seem funny to you that someone would love God’s law and His commands MORE than they loved gold?
Why would we value what God says more than these priceless jewels? God’s Words are life!
When someone is in trouble; they are really upset; something terrible has happened – which one can help them – God or gold?
There are many people who think that if they just had enough money, all of their problems would go away.
But did you know that money can’t make a sick person better; money can’t make a miserable family into a happy one; money can’t get you good grades in school; money cannot protect you; money cannot bring you peace and joy.

There are several word pictures that I want to share with you to help you understand the difference between trying to do life on your own – trying to do things your own way and living under God’s incredible love and care for you.

Life On My Own vs. Life Under God’s Love and Care
Peanut Butter Crackers – I love these. I keep them in my car, in my purse. My daughter carries them in her book bag. And whenever someone in my house goes on a trip, I send them off with peanut butter crackers.

Peanut butter crackers remind me of a story I heard about where this hard-working woman had finally saved enough money to go on a cruise. She couldn’t wait to enjoy a week of relaxation and luxury. The entire time she was on the cruise, the only thing she ate was peanut butter crackers – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – peanut butter crackers.
At the end of the week-long cruise, a fellow vacationer approached this lady. He said, “Ma’am, I’ve noticed that all week long you’ve been eating peanut butter crackers. I am just so curious why you would eat those instead of all the delicious food on this ship?”
The woman replied, “I worked hard to save enough money to go on this cruise, but I didn’t have enough money to buy all the delicious food.” It was then that this dear woman learned a very important truth:
ALL of the delicious food on the ship was FREELY AVAILABLE with her cruise.

You know, there are people who live their life the “peanut butter cracker” way. Just enough to get by. Just enough happiness; just enough goodness; just enough getting along with others; just enough to get by in school, at home, wherever.

Do you know that God has so much more to offer you than just getting by?

Psalm 91 is loaded with the “delicious food” of God’s truth. Truth that will fill you up and consume you with God’s love and care. During this Bible study time through Psalm 91, I invite you to “taste and see that the Lord is good”. Psalm 34:8There are two BIG things that we’re going to look at – what goes on in the world all around us, and who God is – what He is like.
This world can be a scary place – even for kids! That’s why we need the TRUTH of God’s Word! We need to really know who God is and what He is like.

Life on my own is when we try to control things in order to protect ourselves. Anytime that we look to ourselves or to others for protection is life on our own.

Life under God’s love and care
is full and abundant and peace-filled. TRUSTING GOD is everything.
Our bodies can get sick. Our money can be spent. Our families can fall apart. Our relationships can change. Tragic events can happen suddenly! Our world can be turned upside-down in an instant! That’s why we need to know that our complete, true security is found in the One who NEVER changes. The One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

As we study Psalm 91 together, keep in mind that many Bible scholars believe that Moses actually penned this Psalm. We will talk a lot about Moses and how God protected him and provided for him throughout his entire life.

Adoption is a journey. A journey into another land and into another life.
A journey deep into your own soul. A journey with God.
When we were called to adopt, we felt that God Himself was giving us just another glimpse of His incredible love for the world. The YEARNING to have your child home. It must be exactly how God feels until we are safely home with Him.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18

It was an ordinary autumn Saturday. I went to the grocery store, loaded all the goods, and drove home. It was on that very drive home that God would forever change our lives. There was a woman on the Christian radio station talking about her adoption of a little girl named Hannah from Romania and how God used that one adoption to start a ministry known as All God’s Children International. I remember sitting in the driveway listening to her story of God’s MERCY. By the time I came into the house, the groceries were dripping – and so was I.

The very next week, I saw an ad for All God’s Children International in a Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Doug and I visited the AGCI website and wrote a letter. We reviewed and read everything. During the Christmas holidays, our entire family caught the flu. Sometimes it’s during those “flat-on-your-back” times that God can REALLY speak to your heart. It’s also the time that we read The Strength of Mercy together.

On January 17, 2000, we received a brochure from All God’s Children International featuring 14 precious little faces of children who were ready to be adopted. I sat down on the sofa to open the brochure, and there was Margarita. I was crying and shaking because I KNEW she was the one for us. I called Doug at work and told him that I found our daughter. He told me to hurry and call AGCI so that no one else thinks they found THEIR daughter, too!!! When Doug came home from work we stared at that tiny picture and marveled at what God was doing in our lives.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with My righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Now adoption was becoming a reality. It was not just an idea or a dream. It was happening, and we were in the middle of it! All the fear starting creeping in. How in the world were we going to be able to pay for this? We decided to do just what George Muller did when he fed and took care of hundreds of orphans.
WE WOULD PRAY. We would ask God alone to supply what we needed to adopt Margarita (who we would later re-name Anna Grace which literally means a double portion of God’s grace).

I Chronicles 17:19 O Lord, You have given me these wonderful promises just because You want to be kind to me, because of Your own great heart. O Lord, there is no one like You.
I am a “fleece thrower”. I say this to my own shame, but I need to be honest. I needed “signs” along the way. I know God always keeps His promises, but I need lots of encouragement. Though God had given me verse after verse in His Word, I still “needed” something tangible. One Sunday morning, I asked the Lord to show me just one more time that it really was His will for us to adopt Anna. This would be the sign. That someone would give me just two dollars. The entire Sunday morning passed, and it was dismissal. I went down to the preschool department to pick up our Ashleigh. A friend stopped me down in that classroom and began to cry. She said that God had miraculously blessed them with some extra money and they wanted to give us ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS toward our adoption!!! Now I was crying, too!
So do you see? God did abundantly above all that I could ever ask for. I asked for two dollars; He gave me a thousand. Isn’t that just like God???? Psalm 81:10 Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.
That thousand dollars was just what we needed to complete our homestudy and pay the INS fee.

Deut. 1:33 …He went ahead of you on your journey…He showed you the way you should go.
The paperwork process went miraculously fast. Every doctor’s visit, police clearance, INS fingerprinting, home study – everything –went fast and smooth! There was no doubt that God Himself went before us and prepared the way. Some other really neat things happened to us as well. We could definitely sense God’s blessing and favor on us.

Isaiah 58:6-7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold.
It was 11:00 p.m. the night before I was to leave on our church’s missionary trip to Peru. The phone rang. It was Hollen, AGCI’s director of the Bulgarian program. She had just returned from Bulgaria, and wanted to share all the Anna stories. I hung onto every word as I heard her talk about this sweet little girl that was to be our daughter. She loved our gifts and our family photo album that we had sent. She knew that she was going to be adopted! For the first time ever, she had HOPE of being in a forever family.

By the time I returned from the Peru Missionary Trip, it was time to plan the Bulgarian trip. (Did I mention I had never flown in an airplane before?) You see, God really took me out of my comfort zone! The night before I left, I was at our church. I was completely overwhelmed with love and support. One person after the other handed me letters of encouragement. The 8th grade girls assembled gift bags for the orphanage workers. More money came as well ($740!) People promised to pray. Little did I know how badly I would need those prayers!

Isaiah 45:2 I will go before you and make the rough places smoothe…

Joshua 1:5 As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (9) Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Doug and I had been talking with another AGCI family who was also adopting a little girl from Bulgaria. Same age, same orphanage, best friends! We decided that it would be fun to fly over there together to meet our girls. After all, neither one of us really wanted to make the trip to Bulgaria alone. So Kim Canaday and I arranged the travel itinerary. I arrived at the Atlanta airport in plenty of time, but Kim did not. Her flight from Alabama to Atlanta had been cancelled, so she had to ride a bus. Time was ticking, and no sign of Kim. I started to pray. I had to board that plane. My wonderful parents bought my non-refundable ticket. Hesitantly, I got on the plane. It was soooo crowded! About 5 minutes later, I heard someone call my name. It was Kim!! Praise the Lord! It was the first time we met face to face, but we felt like we knew each other forever because of all the phone conversations.

The Lord provides AGAIN!
Psalm 66:16 Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me
I’m telling this part of the story because I want people to see GOD at work.
I do not fly well; I get very sick. So sick, that the flight attendant suggested that I never fly again!
By the time we arrived at the Frankfurt Airport, I was so sick, and Kim was soooo sweet!
She wheeled me all over that airport until we could find a quiet place to sit. We ended up at this quaint little restaurant in the airport to have hot tea. Since we had a 7-hour layover, we decided to share the long version of our adoption experiences. When I finished telling ours, she said that she had something to tell me. God had been speaking to her husband, Eddie’s heart. He had money set aside in a Children’s Foundation that he wanted to give us – to the tune of – - – TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!
I weep now even as I consider God’s love and His faithfulness to us. We are nothing and have nothing to offer Him. Yet in His amazing goodness, He continually pours out His blessings on us.

Psalm 10:18 God will be with the orphans and all who are oppressed so that mere earthly men will terrify them no longer.
Our Visits with Anna and Jordan were too precious for words. We played with them, ate with them, bathed them, fixed their hair – it was a GRAND time! At the same time, we were overwhelmed with all of the darling children in these orphanages. Truly, our hearts even felt heavy; like there was a burden inside. Neither one of us ate or slept well. We were driven to an all new level of intense prayer that God would deliver our girls – FAST! We shared a lot of time in the Bible and in prayer. Those were our only Words of comfort.
When it came time to return them to the orphanage, we were both a complete emotional wreck! There is no grief like this. Judges 10:16 He is grieved by my misery. The drive back to Sofia was long, bumpy, and quiet. So was the plane ride to Frankfurt. Leaving our girls there was the hardest thing either of us have ever done. I don’t think we’d ever recover until they were home with us in their FOREVER FAMILIES!

When the WAIT becomes a WEIGHT
Psalm 38:9 All my longings lie open before You, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You.
It was very difficult to be “normal” after having gone through these experiences. Seeing the world through God’s eyes – it sure makes a lot of things seem less important than they used to be. It’s also hard to be “normal” when you are waiting for your child. The WAIT becomes a WEIGHT! Because everything moved so quickly on this side of our adoption, we assumed that it would on the Bulgarian side as well. But it did not.
This is where we had to trust the Lord and His timing.
Psalm 27:10 “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me…(14) WAIT for the Lord; be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord.
Waiting is such a hard command when the need feels so urgent! Yet, this is where we realize that God is God. He is Sovereign and in control. Nothing slows Him down, and no one thwarts His plan. His way will be accomplished His way and in His time.

God Recovers Stolen Property
Whatever the enemy steals, God alone is able to recover. This is our hope! That God will FULLY recover all that Anna has lost being “stuck in the system”. I pray for Him to restore the years that the locusts have eaten.

We Are All Adopted!
God Himself is the Author of adoption. He sent His only Son so that we could be called sons and daughters of God. We were born of this world, but now we are born into God’s family. We are His chosen heir, fully embraced into His family. “We come to God in less-than-perfect condition, scarred and hurt by our sin. We carry an orphan’s broken heart. God chooses us and offers us a place in His royal family.” We have a new name, a new heart, and a new home. Nothing is the same anymore.
Calvary was not easy, convenient, or cheap. Neither is adoption.
How great is the love the Father has LAVISHED upon us, that we should be called children of God. I John 3:1

The Pick-Up
There is nothing that can quite prepare you for the entrance of a new child into your arms, into your home, into every part of your world. This is inexpressible joy!
When I returned to Bulgaria to bring Anna to her forever family, I just couldn’t imagine what her response would be. It had been 8 months since we had met. Would she remember me? How would she feel leaving all that was familiar to her? The journey to the orphanage seemed endless; oxen carts in the roads, sheep clogging the streets, the taxi driving too slow for this anxious mother!!……when would we get there????

The children were outside playing. Since Anna knew I would be coming I RACED inside to pick up my darling. Our church had provided an enormous amount of relief that needed some explanation. The director wanted to talk. I wanted my Anna! After signing final papers, I turned around to see the SWEETEST little girl with the CUTEST smile on her face. She was wearing the heart locket I sent to her in February and the Minnie Mouse shoes I left with her when I visited in March.
I SCOOPED her up in my arms and really tried not to cry (tears of JOY!) She snuggled right into me, and we clung to one another for a long while. I set her down and put on her new clothes; a darling little dress that my friends bought for her. She was decked out like a little QUEEN!

One of the workers told me that Anna was sooooo excited that I was coming to get her, that she refused to put on her pajamas and slept in her clothes so as not to miss me when I came for her. This is when I lost it, and I could control those tears of joy no longer. My heart was just so full!!!!!! How thankful and truly overwhelmed with praise to God I was (and am!) After the final hugs and kisses and all of the “Chows” to her friends, Anna and I hopped into a little Fiat Taxi with the driver and Doc(the Bulgarian liason). We waved good-bye one last time.

Lunch with Anna was very special because we went to the SAME PLACE we had lunch when Kim Canaday and I visited in March. We sat next to the SAME table we ate at before. And Anna had the same food. It was very sweet! After lunch, we went to the same park that we played at in March. I was hoping that the memories of our first time together would help Anna put all of the pieces together. And indeed, it did! It started to rain, and Anna was wearing this gorgeous dress and shiny black shoes with white tights, so needless to say, we had to scurry from the park to the Taxi! Unfortunately, the plane back to Sofia wasn’t until 7:00. It was only 2:00. So, I had the unique opportunity of entertaining a 5-year old for 5 hours!!!!!!!! Thankfully, I had a few toys stashed in a back pack, and this did the trick. Anna has such a pleasing disposition, and she is extremely easy-going. She NEVER whined or complained or anything! She just is such a HAPPY and CHEERFUL little girl!

The plane ride back to Sofia was BUMPY. Anna loved it! She thought it was funny to go up and down and rattle!! My stomach did not think it was so funny, and once again, flying provided the sick stomach! Even in all of that, Anna just sat there like a perfect little angel! She is an unbelievable girl!

We arrived at the apartment and fell into a sweet, deep slumber. As we snuggled in the bed, Anna kept rubbing my face with her sweet little fingers. We cuddled all through the night.

I had no idea how absolutely precious the next days would be! After a somewhat peaceful night’s sleep, we woke up to the bright sunshine in Bulgaria! It was a clear, crisp morning, and my heart was full of PRAISE!

I gave Anna a nice, warm bath which she thoroughly enjoyed – even the hairwash! We got dressed, and then, she did the SWEETEST thing!!!!!!!

She put my face between her tiny little hands, and began to sing and sing. The only word I recognized was “obicham” (means LOVE). So after breakfast, when Doc arrived, I asked Anna to please sing the song again.
When Doc heard her sing, big tears streamed down his face, which made tears run down my face too! She was singing – “My dear mother, so kind and sweet, how to tell you just how much I love you!” Even now I tear up as I write this; it was such a precious moment, the kind every adoptive parent dreams for. Only I wasn’t dreaming, I was living on pure JOY!!!!!!!!

We hurried to the Poly Clinic where she received an exam from an ENT specialist, an eye specialist, and a pediatrician. Guess how much THAT cost? Just $25!!!!! Can you believe it??????? Of course, she “passed” with flying colors, and charmed them all!

Next we stopped at a photo place to get her new picture made for her transit visa. She was as good as gold!

By this time, we all needed a snack, and a bakery was just around the corner. It was very nice, and Anna and I enjoyed some wonderful quiche. (OK – we had a pastry, too!) One thing I kept noticing was how much water Anna was drinking! She drank NON-STOP! And I only offered her water so as not to cause too much stomach upset (or spoil her appetite).

Of course, we all know what happens when little kids drink LOTS of water — -so we made many trips to the restroom (she loved the toilet!) Thankfully she was great with the potty thing, and we had no accidents at
all! In fact, I brought pull-ups but only used them at night. In Bulgaria, children are “allowed” to “go” ANYWHERE (like in the grass at the park!). I just couldn’t bring myself to let her do this (especially when it’s sooooo cold!) Thankfully, there were enough bathrooms to accommodate Anna!

We did a quickie tour in Sofia, and napped for awhile that afternoon. We ate at Pizza Hut for dinner, and came back to the apt. to sleep. Once again, she LOVED her bath time! She was VERY GOOD with the toothbrushing, only she totally freaked out over the toothpaste! So we are only brushed with water, but I soon realized that kiddie-flavored toothpaste would do the trick! She does not have any cavities (none of the children in Ovcharovo do!). My dentist friend assures me that it’s the BRUSHING that counts, not the toothpaste.

Our bedtime “ritual” always consisted of singing and snuggling; both of which she LOVES. Then she plays these little games (all kids do) to try to stay up a bit longer. Mostly, she loves to rub my face and say “Obicham te” – I LOVE YOU!!!!

As I write these “Anna-Stories”, I am filled with THANKFULNESS to the Lord or blessing our family with such a PRECIOUS daughter. Everything we prayed for, He has answered – more than answered! Truly He is a God who is near the orphan!

Wednesday morning was the visit to the US Consulate Office which would grant Anna the PRIVILEGE of entering the United States of America. As many have also experienced, the line was FOREVER long. But, being a US citizen, Doc took me straight to the front of the line! I felt a bit guilty for butting in line like this, but evidently, this is the way it’s done.

I met some VERY nice people there who were sooooooo happy to grant Anna this visa. They asked me several questions, and of course, wanted to see the precious girl. When Todd (sorry I can’t remember the title – “Honorable”????) saw her, he said, “No wonder she stole your heart”. I was so thankful when he said, “Denise Cox, I will grant you this visa for Anna Grace Cox”. I teared up and said THANK YOU about a 100 times!!!!!!!!!

We did a bit more sight seeing in Sofia. Lots of old churches; lots of statues; and lots of shopping. This was really a lot of fun!!! The lace is GORGEOUS there!!! Doc encouraged me to buy Anna a Bulgarian CD of Bulgarian Children’s Songs. Boy, am I glad that I did! She loves to “dance” and sing with these songs.
I think this actually has helped her to adjust so well.

We also visited this unusual sight. There was this long trough in the downtown of Sofia filled with WARM mineral water that comes up from the earth. Scads of people were there filling up their water bottles and drinking freely from this trough. Doc INSISTED that I drink a bottle full. I was a bit squeamish as I could only think of all the germs in that warm water where the whole community was drinking!!!! But, I did manage to swallow a few sips praying the whole time that God would eradicate the germs!!!

The cutest experience of the day was when Doc and I took Anna on the escalator in the mall area. We were engaged in some conversation and just hopped on like it was nothing when all of a sudden, Anna BURST out with this deep belly-laugh. We stopped to see what was soooo funny. Then we realized that this was the first time she had ever ridden on an escalator! She loved it!

That night when I was tucking Anna in for bed, we did our ritual of singing and snuggling. Then the most amazing thing happened… Anna sang “Jesus Loves Me” – - in ENGLISH!!!!!! I guess I sang it to her enough times that she got it! Now she sings it ALL the time at home, and Doug can hardly believe how quickly she is picking up on things!

The next day we flew from Sofia to Zurich. WAY too much walking in the Zurich airport. Or was it that we carried too much stuff????????? No problem getting Anna’s papers through; no special visa or anything needed!!! We took a cab to the Hotel and tried very hard to get a good night’s rest. But the beds were as hard as boards. And the comforter STANK!!!! I have such a sensitive nose, and the smell kept waking me up in the night. YUCK! There was no bath TUB, just a shower. How would Anna react to this?????? Take a guess – she just laughed and laughed while the little sprayer thing went EVERYWHERE!!! After her “bath” the entire bathroom was SOAKED!!! We had to ask twice for extra towels, and they charged us $10 just to BORROW a hairdryer!!!!

The flight from Zurich to Atlanta was delayed – - all in all, we were on that plane for ELEVEN hours!!!!!!! And Anna stayed AWAKE the ENTIRE time. We sang, drew LOTS on the Magna-Doodle (she even learned how to make the letter “A” and all the shapes!) I also brought some beads for her to string, cups to stack, beanie babies to dress – - -all the good stuff any 5-year old girl would need.

As I mentioned before, Anna was drinking a lot of water. Now this was not a problem, but she did need to use the restroom A LOT — NINETEEN times on this flight (YES, I counted and NO, I am not exaggerating!!!!!!!) I couldn’t WAIT to get her home to meet her daddy and brother and sister (and grandparents and aunts and uncles, and friends) When our plane FINALLY landed in Atlanta, Anna exclaimed, “America!” We were all so thankful to get off of that plane! 11 hours is a very long time to be in a very small place with very limited resources with a very small child !

By now, Anna was really exhausted, but too excited to sleep. We breezed through customs and the INS Office there. EVERYONE has been soooooooo nice and encouraging to us! Of course, I think it helps that
Anna is such a charmer. How can anyone resist those darling brown eyes????

We started getting closer to waiting family and friends. I could see my dad holding a neon yellow sign which read “WELCOME HOME, ANNA”. I was SHAKING with excitement!!!!!!!!!! We began to wave to our family, and I held Anna up as high as I could! (Though she is soooo small for her age, she is still a bit “chunky”.) But you know there is that “magic line” that cannot be crossed in the airport until everything on your body has been scanned. I started throwing off all the money pouches, backpacks, neck holders – - and flung them on that scanner. We just couldn’t wait to be ALL together as a family.
Once we cleared the X-ray machine, my family could stand it no longer. They crossed the magic line, and the SWEEEEEEEEEET hugging, kissing, embracing, and TEARS OF JOY began to flow!!!!!!!
(The security guard kindly asked us to move across the “line”).

This is a joy I cannot seem to articulate. The intense feelings of togetherness and wholeness as a FAMILY.

Anna LOVES her Daddy and brother and sister, and they LOVE her!!!! Doug carried her the rest of the way in the airport, and Anna was enjoying this more than we could have imagined. The daddy she had longed for was finally hers, and she was savoring every moment with him. She was rubbing his face and then rubbing his arms. She stared at him with fierce love in her eyes. Daddy was HERS, and she wasn’t going to let go!

We spent too much time at the airport after this. My luggage was lost, and I also thought I had lost the entire adoption packet that I had soooo carefully hand-carried all the way from Sofia. By now I was totally and completely “spent”. And I just needed to get home. Thankfully, the adoption packet was discovered the next day; the luggage came a week later.

But, the most important thing is that ANNA IS HOME WITH HER FOREVER FAMILY!!!!

Anna continues to LOVE HER DADDY (I think he is her favorite (-: How can I blame her, he stole my heart, too!) Our other two children fully embrace her as a sibling, and have done very well with the whole thing!

How THANKFUL we are to the Lord for BLESSING us soooooooo abundantly!!!!!!
Truly He is an AWESOME GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t think I should’ve watched the news before flying home from NYC. All the information about the attempted terrorist attack on that plane to Amsterdam planted a seed of fear in my heart.
While at the Newark Airport, I noticed a very large man sitting at a small table by himself. I am really not sure why I spotted him, but something about him made me feel nervous. Everytime a person’s name was announced on the intercom, he would look up – and then look around. He also seemed very in tune with everything going on around him; he was continually looking around. When our flight number was called, he boarded the plane, and I was starting to feel scared. There was something about him that was out of the norm, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. He sat diagonally in front of me, so I had a perfect view of him. Poor guy – I am sure he didn’t realize I was watching him so. Before the plane took off, he stood up, turned around, and looked hard at everyone around him, and then he sat down. As we were taxi-ing, I began to pray: “Lord, I feel afraid; what do you want me to know about that man?” Immediately, the Lord put a picture in my mind – that man was a federal agent. He was on the plane . . to keep us safe. Isn’t God wonderful – He replaced the lie (this man is a terrorist) with the truth (this man is here to keep everyone safe.) I just love how personally God speaks to me!

An expensive friend is one that you feel an unhealthy sense of obligation towards. There are things that you can or cannot do because of the ties to your friend.
And while your friend may truly have been a help to you in the past, you now have this sickening sense of obligation towards them. Everyone around you sees what’s going on, but you feel stuck – almost trapped.
Do the right thing, and release yourself. Set yourself and everyone around you FREE!

This week’s Time Magazine cover story is titled, The Case Against Over-Parenting. The cover pictures a child as a puppet, with his actions manipulated through strings; presumably from a parent positioned above. I especially like the section in the article about the unrealistic fear many parents have for their child’s safety and their future. The article states, “Fear is a kind of parental fungus: invisible, insidious, perfectly designed to decompose your peace of mind. Fear of physical danger is at least subject to rational argument; fear of failure is harder to hose down. What could be more natural than worrying that your child might be trampled by the great, scary, globally competitive world into which she will one day be launched? It is this fear that inspires parents to demand homework in preschool…(and) continue to provide the morning wake-up call long after the he’s headed off to college.”

It seems to me that the world is finally understanding the folly of over-parenting. There are even parenting classes popping up that teach parents to slow down the pace and their expectations for their children. According to the article, ”…there is now a new revolution under way, one aimed at rolling back the almost comical over-protectiveness and over-investment of moms and dads. This insurgency goes by many names–slow parenting, simplicity parenting, free-range parenting–but the message is the same: Less is more; hovering is dangerous, failure is fruitful. You really want you children to succeed? Learn when to leave them alone. When you lighten up, they’ll fly higher. We’re often the ones who hold them down.”

Over-parenting or “helicopter parenting” is something I’ve been warning parents about for years. I see it often, especially with Christian parents who desperately want their children to succeed in life, avoid the dangers of sin, and to make the right spiritual choices. It can be tough for them to back off in the teen years, and allow their children to begin “flying” on their own.

Today, Doug and I met with a man who is blind, yet he could see amazing things.
When he prayed, it was if he had a magnifying glass to see deep into my heart. How could he see how broken it was? How could he perceive those exact wounds inflicted by a defiant child? How did he know how to pray like THAT? We noticed how well he listened to us. He never missed a detail; didn’t forget a single thing. But I have a feeling that He was listening to Someone else too————-Did God give him eyes that we do not have? He may be blind, but that man sure did see a lot in me today.

The Hebrew people were forced into hard labor, and as slaves, they were treated terribly.
Even though Pharaoh evoked fear in the Hebrew people, it was actually he who was the most afraid – afraid of being outnumbered by this hearty, growing group of people. So he reacted; he demanded that all the baby boys be killed and ordered the midwives to do so.
Right there at the births of all Hebrew children were Shiphrah and Puah, Hebrew midwives, who respected God more than they feared Pharaoh. On their hands and knees, they said YES to life – and to the Giver of Life.
Not many people even know whom Shiphrah and Puah are, but because they honored God, they saved many lives, and actually were the beginning of setting God’s people free. Their blessing? God gave them families of their own!
There is always blessing and reward for listening to God and obeying Him – no matter what the cost. Take time this week to really listen to God. Are you saying YES to the right things?

We believe that in every child,
God creates a longing in their heart for Him.
This is a longing that only He can fill.

From the mouths of INFANTS You have ordained praise. – Psalm 8:2

As you share God’s love with children, you are investing in the most precious treasure on earth! As God’s truth is revealed, we pray that His Spirit will be at work, drawing the hearts of children (and their families) to Himself (John 6:44). As children show interest in salvation, we ask that you be attentive and available. Scripture does not show us that there is any sort of “magic prayer” – or any prayer at all – that is necessary for salvation. (See “Biblical Salvation Stories” at the end of his section.) When a person recognizes that he is a HELPLESS sinner (powerless to do anything to save himself) and BELIEVES that Jesus is the only One who can take away his sin, he is saved. We simply ask that you make yourself available to speak with a child, ask questions, hear from God, and pray with the child if he or she needs clarity on any issue.

• We know that children can encounter God. There are several examples in the Bible of children who had direct spiritual encounters: Consider Samuel, Jeremiah, John the Baptist (in the womb!)

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. – Matthew 18:10 NIV

• Jesus tells us that unless we become like little children we cannot see the kingdom of God:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. – Matthew 18:1-6 NIV

• Jesus said not to hinder children from coming to Him. He became indignant at the way His disciples treated children:

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them. - Mark 10:13-16 NIV

Focus on the phrase, “Do not hinder them.” How can we be sure not to hinder children from coming to Christ?
1. Get out of the way.
2. Make space.
3. Be comfortable with silence.
4. Accept their questions.
5. Welcome them.
6. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

• Salvation is the work of God! (John 6:44, Isaiah 59:16)

Sometimes, in our zeal to see children come to faith in Jesus Christ, we actually become a lot like a “salesman.” There must be conviction, not convincing. If you are convincing a child to be saved, you are actually hindering the Spirit from working.

Jesus loves children far more than we do, and it is His desire that none should perish but that all would be saved (2 Peter 2:9). He will work in His perfect time. PRAY for the children, and pray that their understanding of God will grow and that in time, they will receive the most wonderful gift of eternal life with the Lord.

Each child expresses interest in God at different ages and stages of development. While it’s important not to rush children, we want to be ever sensitive to how the Holy Spirit may be working in their lives. Remember that all it takes is child-like faith! When a child recognizes that he is a HELPLESS sinner and BELIEVES that Jesus is the only One who can take away his sin, he is saved.

SOME QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU
If you have the opportunity to speak with a child who seems interested in salvation, here are questions you may want to ask. We are not looking for a “perfect score” – just an understanding of God’s truth. This time of discussion is an opportunity to clear up any misconceptions. Asking questions is the best way for you to find out where the child is spiritually! If the child really does not grasp these truths at this time, pray with him or her. Thank God for moving in their life, and ask that He continue to reveal Himself to the child.

Remember that there must be more than just an understanding a Bible story or series of stories. Salvation involves a CHANGED HEART.

Are you perfect or have you sinned? (I have sinned – Romans 3:23)

What does sin do? (Ruins everything, separates me from God, earns death and punishment in the Lake of Fire)

Does God WANT to punish you? (No)

Why doesn’t God want to punish you? (Because He loves me! – John 3:16)

Can you save yourself? (No) Can you do good things to outweigh your sins? (No, adding good things can’t take away my sin)

What sacrifice is required to take away your sin? (Death is the payment for sin. Jesus was perfect. He took my sin and put it on Himself. He is the only One with perfect blood) Hebrews 9:22 This will require some explanation from the Old Testament.

Who has perfect blood? Who can save you? (Jesus, the Lamb of God – Romans 5:6-8)

How can God punish sin without punishing you? (He took my place, He provided a Lamb, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sin – Isaiah 53:6)

What does God want you to do? (He wants me to TRUST/BELIEVE in Him!) Acts 16:31; Romans 3:26

Is that all? Is there something you need to DO to be saved? (No, when I change my mind about my sin and completely trust in Jesus, I am saved.) Eph. 2:8-9

How can you know that you belong to God? (Because Jesus is the Good Shepherd) John 10:27-29

PLEASE AVOID THE FOLLOWING:

Confusing Terminology:

• Give your heart to Jesus.
We don’t give anything to Jesus. He gave us everything by giving us HIS
blood to pay for our sins.
• Commit your life to God.
Again, it is Christ who has committed His love to us, not us to Him.
• All you have to do is . . .
Remember that we can’t DO anything to be saved. It’s all about what God
has done for us.
• Confess your sin to the Lord.
This is not what saves you. We can’t even begin to know all of our sin.
We must repent: literally, to change our mind about our sin and be in
agreement with God.

Confusing Vocabulary:

• Be careful to explain all terminology (sin, saved, forgiveness, everlasting life, believe)

Confusing Word Pictures:

Sometimes, in our effort to make things “kid-friendly,” we avoid using the Bible and rely on props and/or man-made stories. But God’s Word is alive and powerful. It changes lives! Never discount the power of God’s Word! Our words are just our words. God’s Words are LIFE!

EMBRACE THE FOLLOWING:

Be spiritually prepared!
DEPEND upon the Holy Spirit to do the work. If it’s His conviction, the decision is lasting. If it is our convincing, a child may remain confused and actually live in turmoil and dissatisfaction.

PRAY for God’s guidance, and PRAY for the children in your life.

Take your time.
There is nothing more important than salvation.
Talk to a child alone (not in a secluded area – for your own protection).
Ask questions – make sure he/she understands.

Some reasons why children can be confused:
-He does not understand the terminology.
-He’s frightened into a decision.
-He does not understand what sin is. Or if he does, he may not understand that
he is a HELPLESS sinner, that he cannot do anything to remove his sin and that
he needs a Savior.
-He does not realize that salvation is a decision made ONCE.
-He follows the crowd or a friend who gets saved.
-He wants to please an adult.
-He responds to emotion-packed stories.

USE THE BIBLE (God’s Word is alive and powerful!)
Some Biblical Salvation Stories especially effective in explaining salvation to children:
Jesus Talks with Nicodemus (John 3)
Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well of Samaria (John 4)
Philip Tells the Ethiopian about Jesus (Acts
Paul and Silas Tell a Jailer about Jesus (Acts 16)

Irena is a precious little Bosnian girl with very light olive skin and heavy brown eyes. She often looks sad, and speaks of ending her own life. She is seven years old.

Every week, students from Grace enthusiastically load buses and drive nearly an hour to Clarkston apartments, where refugee children like Irena live. Their heart is to infuse God’s love to families living there. They play games, do crafts, teach the Bible, and share life together with the children. It is one of the brightest spots in Ashleigh’s week!

Of course, all the kids are precious, and each week Ashleigh gives me a run down on each child that is especially dear to her. This past Tuesday, when I went to pick up Ashleigh after Infusion, I could see that she had been crying. From her face, I could see that her heart had been broken, and I knew it had to be over a child. Ashleigh told me all about Irena. She had been in the emergency room the night before with chest pains; the doctor told her she needed to eat more because she had an eating disorder. Remember, she is only 7 years old. She told Ashleigh that she wanted to kill herself because she was ugly and nobody loved her. Ashleigh hugged Irena and told her that God loves her and she did too, and that she was beautiful. Ashleigh reminded Irena that she was made in God’s image and that He deeply cared for her. Ashleigh had never been in a situation such as this, but she wanted to make sure Irena kept coming back. So she told her that if she came back the next day, she bring her Chinese food, which she had mentioned before as her favorite food.

So, the next day, just before Infusion, we loaded up on Panda Express. Irena wasn’t at Infusion, but her brother who was there showed Ashleigh and Christine where they lived, so they personally delivered the food to her. You can only imagine Irena’s surprise and delight when she saw the girls – and the Chinese food.
Beyond feeding Irena physically, Ashleigh is feeding her spiritual hunger with the love of Jesus and the truths in God’s Word.

Will you please join us in prayer, not only for Irena, but also for all the hurting children who need to be fed with the Bread of Life?