Stellan's Home

After a 5-week ordeal of tests, a surgery, up and down emotions, and trusting and praying, baby Stellan woke up at home today, and I am thankful for God's faithfulness to the McKinney family.

Stellan still needs prayers of protection from further SVT, and for healing as he grows. But I thank God for bringing him and his mommy home. The relief must be overwhelming for MckMama.

Pulling from Proverbs

Our family will be embarking on quite the adventure in the coming weeks, and my husband and I will need discernment and wisdom. (If you don't know what's going on, go here.) Am so thankful that God grants wisdom to those who earnestly seek it.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

This doesn't mean that I simply ask the Lord for wisdom and sit back and wait. No. He gives generously to those who ask without doubting. Wisdom is to be sought after. So I am looking in what should be the most obvious place- His Word. I am confident in the counsel for the Word.

I'm reading through a chapter in Proverbs every day. And I'm just going to read it over and over and over and over again. I am going to immerse myself in Scripture so that I may be wise for now and the days ahead.

I am being blessed by it.

Re-Thinking Miracles

I have been thinking a lot about miracles lately. This is easy to do when we just came out of the Easter season, in which we celebrate the greatest miracle of all! Yes He is risen; He is risen indeed!

But beyond what we typically think of as miracles, like changing water to wine and feeding over 5000 people with a few loaves and fishes, and yes, raising from the dead, I have been thinking about the other miracles that I am seeing in the lives of others.

Stellan is a sweet baby, and thousands and thousands of people are praying for the healing of this little one's heart. He has been in the hospital for nearly a month now, and his family is still giving God glory. They still have peace and joy.

Just this April, would have been Audrey Caroline's first birthday. She was only in this world for about 2 hours. Her mother carried her to term, and delivered her knowing that God would take her baby home shortly thereafter. Since hearing the news of their baby's medical condition, her family blessed the Lord and trusted in His sovereignty. The pain is still there, and the longing for that precious child lost is still there. But there is unspeakable joy there as well.

Personal friends of mine have recently suffered from broken marriages, and yet there is peace, and a perspective that is higher than human thoughts. Healing, forgiveness, brokenness, and incredible trust are things that these ladies have experienced in these days. Through the pain, there is joy in the sanctifying work of Christ.

I could list other testimonies from people, but you can see that pattern, right? Just this Sunday a pastor defined a miracle as, "... an occurrence at once above nature and above man."

I would dare to list the reactions of these believers to the tremendous trials as miraculous. The joy is beyond the human capabilities with such hurt. The peace is truly peace that passes all understanding. The joy isn't found in the suffering, but in the God who is sovereign in the suffering.

God is working miracles in the hearts of His people as they face suffering.

So, I'm re-thinking miracles. Miraculous is a martyr singing praises and praying as they are crucified, burned, or tortured. Miraculous is a missionary sacrificing her body to protect the purity of other women in a small African village. Miraculous is a Chinese believer facing death with joy because they will not reject Christ. Miraculous is a monk standing before authorities and not recanting the truth of Scripture. Miraculous is the ability to bless God and rejoice in Him when all things are against you.

Our human hearts cannot do that on our own.

Oh, that the God of Grace work such a miracle in my heart if He blesses me with the opportunity!

He Knows the Time

Yesterday was my 28th birthday, and although I'm not an overly analytical person, I can't help but take stock of where I am in life at each birthday. Though I know that I am practically still a child, it did occur to me that I'm almost 30- which is still so young. But it sounds old. It seems so very adult.

If you know me for any amount of time- probably about 2 days- you will hear a couple things about me. First, you will know that I am adopted, and that this is a tidbit that I really enjoy about myself. I share it openly because I know that this fact allows me to share about adoption. And that leads me to the second thing that you will learn about me in no time at all. I am passionate about adoption.

The general population is pretty ignorant about adoption and the dynamics of it. The need for people to adopt is not really known or thought about. Adoption is one of the truest human examples we have of what it means to become a child of God. Adoption is an answer to abortion. Adoption is a beautiful option for any family wanting to build a family.

My husband and I, from the time that we were dating, have wanted to adopt. We also thought that it would be nice to be done having kids before we're 30, but so far, God has said, "Wait." And wait we shall.

With all this in mind, I felt the longing to build our family yesterday morning. I was thinking about how I was 28, and in 2 years is that 30-mark. I thought about how we're in a position where we just can't possibly start the adoption process. As my daughter sat next to me, I just heard these words come out of my mouth:

Norah, do you think God will let us have another kid soon?

Maybe you could ask Him. Then He might let us.

I love how simple things are to a four-year-old. Yes, we will keep asking. We will keep praying. And if He asks us to, we'll keep waiting. We will trust in His perfect plan. For He knows the time.