Into Battle

I went to a conference this weekend called "She Speaks" put on by Proverbs 31 ministries. It was an amazing time with 650 women and great speakers! I tried to quiet myself best I could all weekend to hear what God wanted to say to me. Speaker after speaker, meeting amazing woman after amazing woman. We were encouraged to write our story, tell our story, point it all to Jesus, develop our passions, minister to others, etc. The conference was on how to launch your writing into a platform, how to steward the message God has given you, and how to best share it with others.
I kept hearing.... Wait.

Wait.

Ok, God? I will I guess. I'm  not sure what I am waiting on or waiting for, but I will wait.

I'm bad at waiting. I want to do what I need to do now or at least be getting prepared for what I'm waiting for. You could see that in how I have "nested" here at home, waiting on the kids' arrival.

The second night, I heard it again. Wait.  But this time it was accompanied by...

"We are about to go into battle".

Wow, not really the take away I was hoping for. But one I have been praying about over the last year or so.  As we have journeyed closer to the life God has called us to instead of the one we would have chosen selfishly, I have experienced spiritual warfare. It's been in our marriage, in my parenting, and in our extended family.  But this one is a little closer to home.

We are going into battle for these children.  Satan wants nothing else but these orphans to stay orphans, in an orphanage that only meets maybe 2 basic needs for food and shelter....if that. Satan does not want these kids coming into a home that proclaims Jesus as our Savior, that talks about him daily, parents that do their best to meet the emotion needs of our kids, and shine our light to others. No.  There will be a battle.

I don't know what it will look like. I don't know if the battle will come in attachment for the kids, behavior issues of Levi, Maran, Reese or Wheeler, sleepless nights, spiritual attack, health, who knows. But I know it will come. I've tried to prepare myself best I can with scripture, reading books about attachment, prayer, etc.  That is all I can do.

Then, Sunday morning of the conference came and wouldn't you know the final talk was on spiritual warfare and how to get ready for battle. Thank you God.

Here are some of my highlights:

• To enjoy God's favor we must often endure Satan's fury. Be prepared.
• The catalyst for Jesus' temptation in the desert was Spirit led.  Being full of the spirit doesn't protect us from temptation.  We may be led by the spirit into temptations that will test our faith. 
• The context for Jesus' temptation was his Holy experience.  He had just come off of being filled by the spirit and had his value and identity spoken over him by the father. 
• The content of Jesus' temptation was to be tempted in the area of
• Provision- we have a tendency to want to provide for ourselves on God's behalf.
• Protection- we take our protection back into our own control so we think.
• Pride or Position
• Battle is imminent so get ready for it
• belt of truth (scripture), breastplate of righteousness (rest in Jesus righteousness), feet covered with gospel of peace, shield of faith (confidence, security in him, calling, rest in it all. you have to pick up the shield and put it over you in battle. If you can't you need to find people to come around you to hold their shields over you), Helmet of salvation (God will accomplish results no matter what we do), Sword of the spirit.
• Sword of the spirit
• We are called to take it up, not swing it. God wants us dressed and protected for battle but you in your own strength don't have to fight. God will.  You will stand in the middle of battle, dressed and ready so you don't feel naked, but God will fight for you. You only have to be prepared, trust, and focus on him.
• Exodus 14:14- I will fight for you, you only need to be still.
• Your IT is not worth it, I am. 

Wow, I was holding back tears the whole talk. If we were only adopting just to adopt. It would not be "worth it", but God has called us. Our "adoption" is not worth it, He is. There will be days where I want to give up, crawl in a hole, think I can't make it, but He can and He is worth it. I will be tempted to provide for myself and kids, I will be tempted to draw protection back into my own hands and it will bring fear and worry, but God has called me to trust in him and let him the the Lord of provision and protection, and only boast in Him on the other side of the battle. I am going to try to spend the next few months getting ready for battle. We could use your prayers. We have been praying for over  ayear now even for details such as attachment, sleep, the preparation of Levi and Maran's hearts, for God to pierce through the darkness they've experienced and bring light and healing, to put a shield around them and protect their minds and hearts, for wisdom, discernment, and more wisdom as we parent all of our children through this transition, for Reese and Wheeler's hearts and understanding as we walk through this as a family, for our marriage that we would lean on and encourage each other and not pit against one another.

Please join us in prayer over the next few months and beyond. Thanks for being part of the journey with us and helping put your shield over us.