Today my loan was denied.
And honestly, it didn't matter even in the least.
Because God is giving me a much bigger message today about the unseen, and the importance of holding on to his promises regardless of what is presenting in front of my earthly eyes.
He chose to teach me this lesson through my cat.
Two days ago, my farrier (horse-shoer) was out to trim my horses. While he was trimming my horse I noticed both of my cats examining his equipment trailer. I didn't think anything of it.
Less than two minutes after he left, I *knew* that one of my cats had gotten locked in his trailer when he closed it. It wasn't just a random concern or worry, I really knew that she was in there.
I waited a couple hours to call him, to make sure I wasn't just being worried or ridiculous; and when she hadn't appeared back at the house, I called him and said "hey, I think my cat may have gotten trapped in your trailer. Can you check."
He checked.
"No," he said, "no cat."
I was really surprised.
I mean, I was really certain she was in there.
But what could I do but take his word for it? He was the one looking in the trailer with his two eyes; I was just speculating from a distance.
That night I still knew my cat was in the trailer, but doubt was creeping in from my earlier conversation with him. I started thinking positively, maybe she would just appear at the door to come in for the night like she usually did.
But she didn't.
I spent time praying about her that night and was assured she was safe.
And I still knew she was in the trailer.
The next morning, when she still wasn't at the door, I called my farrier again.
"Hey," I said, "I know you checked the trailer, but I really think she is in there. Can you check again? Isn't there some place she might hide?"
"No" I was told. "No cat in the trailer."
At this point I felt frustrated. I wanted to go check the trailer for myself.
I still knew she was in there.
But my farrier knows this trailer better than I do. He uses it every day. He knows if there are places cats could hide, and he's looking at it with his two eyes!
So if he says there isn't a cat in his trailer, there can't be a cat in his trailer.
That day I kept praying about my cat. I kept being told she was fine. I kept thinking she must be in the trailer.
But doubt also crept in.
I started thinking about all of the other things that could have happened to her. I imagined her being run over by the trailer's tire instead of being trapped in it, and then running off to hide some where to die.
I thought about all of the vehicles that had been down my road and pulled in and out of my drive that could have also hit her.
I imagined her trapped somewhere on my property with me unable to find her.
I started thinking I would probably never see her again, and imagining my life without her.
And I still knew she was in the trailer.
Today I got a call from my farrier.
He said, rather sheepishly, "I found your cat."
Yes, as I knew, she was in his trailer!
Besides the amazing blessing and relief of finding my cat, I am feeling such a powerful message sent to me about the unseen.
I knew all along my cat was in the trailer, but other people couldn't see her, even when looking into the trailer with their own two eyes.
Our eyes are not the detectors of the truth.
So many times we must see God's truth and God's promises from the inside long before they are revealed to us where we can see them and touch them on the outside.
I am now holding my cat in my arms and on my lap. She is real, and returned, exactly as she was promised to me.
But one day ago I was doubting because my knowledge of the unseen could not be confirmed by a set of actual eyes.
I am told today that what has been promised to me will come to pass. What I know in my heart is true, regardless of what is seen.
And a loan rejection letter doesn't matter even in the least.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
And the winner is. . .
Sorry to keep everyone waiting (ironically, ha ha!)
I have been out of town at a conference and my computer crashed, so just did the drawing tonight.
Oh my goodness, though, it has done my heart such good to see these little boys posted about on other people's pages.
Thank you so much to everyone! I am praying so fervently that it will end the waiting of these little boys.
The winner of the $100 is. . . .
Amy Peterson!
Not really a surprise considering how many people Amy got to post about this!
Amy you can email me (my email is on the sidebar) and tell me how you would like this money delivered to you.
Oh, and for those of you who asked, I am still waiting about the loan. . .
It seems so purposeful that I know God must be working very hard on me to make me perfect in Him.
Blessings to everyone,
Christy
I have been out of town at a conference and my computer crashed, so just did the drawing tonight.
Oh my goodness, though, it has done my heart such good to see these little boys posted about on other people's pages.
Thank you so much to everyone! I am praying so fervently that it will end the waiting of these little boys.
The winner of the $100 is. . . .
Amy Peterson!
Not really a surprise considering how many people Amy got to post about this!
Amy you can email me (my email is on the sidebar) and tell me how you would like this money delivered to you.
Oh, and for those of you who asked, I am still waiting about the loan. . .
It seems so purposeful that I know God must be working very hard on me to make me perfect in Him.
Blessings to everyone,
Christy
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Waiting
Waiting is something most people struggle with when going through an adoption process, and it is something I am recognizing lately that I am absolutely miserable at!
I am not adopting (I wish!) but have been waiting for two weeks now to find out the status of a loan application. This loan is important to me because it determines if I will have the funds needed to move at some point in the near future.
When I originally filled out the loan application I was told my wait would be 24-48 hours. Now, two weeks later, I am still in waiting.
Now I will say, I have done everything to get out of the waiting process. I have called the bank daily, prayed, cried, begged, pleaded, and last night I even had a temper tantrum at God (not proud to admit it but true).
Then this morning I was truly humbled as I thought of Emmitt, and M.
I have been waiting for two weeks for something that may improve my life for the better.
In the meantime, I have been able to go to work, go for walks, play with my animals, go horseback riding, play with friends, enjoy the (almost) spring weather, go out to eat, cook nice meals, etc etc.
Regardless of the outcome of what I have been waiting on I will continue to be able to do those things.
M and Emmitt have both been waiting for 13 years.
They have been waiting, most of the time in the same bed, in the same room, in the same place, with little hope that things will change for them.
While I am horseback riding, they are lying alone in bed.
While I am eating out, they are hoping for one piece of fresh fruit in place of the staple porridge they get each day.
While I am hiking in the sun, they are sitting in the darkness.
They have been waiting in conditions I could barely conceive of for myself, and yet unlike me, they do not throw temper tantrums, or stomp their feet at God, or demand something better from the people around them.
Unlike me, they *smile* while they wait, and bring light and grace to everyone around them, glowing an inner confidence that God will reveal himself to them in time.
I am humbled beyond words.
So while I am waiting, I am going to do something to try to shorten their wait.
I have $100 dollars I am going to give one person who is willing to advocate for Maxim and Emmitt's with others. This $100 dollars could come in a gift card of your choosing, or if you are adopting I will donate it to your adoption fund.
All you have to do to enter is this:
1) Post about Emmitt and Maxim on your blog, facebook account, or other social networking site (there is more information about them on the tabs above and throughout this blog)
2) Be sure to include in your post contact information for the organizations supporting each child: Maxim is being supported by Life2Orphans, while Emmitt is listed through Reece's Rainbow. (Please do not list the country they are from if you know it as this is against certain laws in their country.)
3) The purpose of sharing their information is to encourage others to consider adopting them. They are both available for adoption! Neither of them have an account to donate to specifically for their adoption expenses, so encourage others to "donate" through prayer and advocating for them. (People are welcome to donate to both life2orphans and reecesrainbow, but it will not go directly into an adoption grant for either boy).
4) I will enter you once in a drawing for each site you post a plea for adoption of these two boys; if any of your facebook friends or blogger friends post a plea for these boys based on your post, I will give you 5 more entries.
5) please leave a comment or email me with the link to your posting or others' posting
6) Please keep your posts tasteful and positive.
I will be doing a drawing to pick the winner sometime next week.
Happy advocating in the meantime!
-Christy
I am not adopting (I wish!) but have been waiting for two weeks now to find out the status of a loan application. This loan is important to me because it determines if I will have the funds needed to move at some point in the near future.
When I originally filled out the loan application I was told my wait would be 24-48 hours. Now, two weeks later, I am still in waiting.
Now I will say, I have done everything to get out of the waiting process. I have called the bank daily, prayed, cried, begged, pleaded, and last night I even had a temper tantrum at God (not proud to admit it but true).
Then this morning I was truly humbled as I thought of Emmitt, and M.
I have been waiting for two weeks for something that may improve my life for the better.
In the meantime, I have been able to go to work, go for walks, play with my animals, go horseback riding, play with friends, enjoy the (almost) spring weather, go out to eat, cook nice meals, etc etc.
Regardless of the outcome of what I have been waiting on I will continue to be able to do those things.
M and Emmitt have both been waiting for 13 years.
 |
| M |
They have been waiting, most of the time in the same bed, in the same room, in the same place, with little hope that things will change for them.
While I am horseback riding, they are lying alone in bed.
While I am eating out, they are hoping for one piece of fresh fruit in place of the staple porridge they get each day.
While I am hiking in the sun, they are sitting in the darkness.
They have been waiting in conditions I could barely conceive of for myself, and yet unlike me, they do not throw temper tantrums, or stomp their feet at God, or demand something better from the people around them.
Unlike me, they *smile* while they wait, and bring light and grace to everyone around them, glowing an inner confidence that God will reveal himself to them in time.
 |
| Emmitt |
I am humbled beyond words.
So while I am waiting, I am going to do something to try to shorten their wait.
I have $100 dollars I am going to give one person who is willing to advocate for Maxim and Emmitt's with others. This $100 dollars could come in a gift card of your choosing, or if you are adopting I will donate it to your adoption fund.
All you have to do to enter is this:
1) Post about Emmitt and Maxim on your blog, facebook account, or other social networking site (there is more information about them on the tabs above and throughout this blog)
2) Be sure to include in your post contact information for the organizations supporting each child: Maxim is being supported by Life2Orphans, while Emmitt is listed through Reece's Rainbow. (Please do not list the country they are from if you know it as this is against certain laws in their country.)
3) The purpose of sharing their information is to encourage others to consider adopting them. They are both available for adoption! Neither of them have an account to donate to specifically for their adoption expenses, so encourage others to "donate" through prayer and advocating for them. (People are welcome to donate to both life2orphans and reecesrainbow, but it will not go directly into an adoption grant for either boy).
4) I will enter you once in a drawing for each site you post a plea for adoption of these two boys; if any of your facebook friends or blogger friends post a plea for these boys based on your post, I will give you 5 more entries.
5) please leave a comment or email me with the link to your posting or others' posting
6) Please keep your posts tasteful and positive.
I will be doing a drawing to pick the winner sometime next week.
Happy advocating in the meantime!
-Christy
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