Strength will rise

Greg and I got the GIFT of going to Witness Festival and hearing Jeremy Camp lead worship last night before thousands of people while sweet friends of ours took Emily in overnight-- leaving us to get home late, sleep in, and get ready for church without a toddler in tow. It was such a great date night and chance to change pace. And a beautiful picture of God's heart in a friend who days before had offered to watch Emily for us whenever this summer since we don't have family in the area like 99% of our friends do. Most people here use family as babysitters so we often feel like we can't return the favor if someone blesses us in this way. But isn't it amazing to see gifts given when they are free?

Today Greg and I got to serve people freely with a car wash. It was In and Out Sunday at our church. Instead of gathering for worship and teaching in the church building, our small groups spread out into the surrounding community to be a blessing to others and spread the love of Christ by being the hands and feet of Christ in the community. Two small groups joined together and we set up car wash stations at an abandoned gas station near downtown. We washed 45 cars in 3 hours!! Some people were shocked that we would have a totally free, no donations taken car wash. Others asked for prayer. Others shared how we could join with their churches to bless the community and make a bigger impact. Others hid in their cars not wanting to interact but being thankful nonetheless for such a surprise. I want to be able to do stuff like this more often. And I pray that even one of the 60+ people we encountered in this way today will decide to give God a listening ear because of it.

Back to the concert last night. Jeremy Camp played many of his old songs last night that I sung my heart out to. He also led us in worship with a favorite by Chris Tomlin called Everlasting God (Strength Will Rise). I hadn't remembered singing it in a long time, but it really helped me to remember that I am never strong enough to go through challenges without the Lord. And that sometimes He brings times of waiting into our lives so that His strength will rise from us rather than standing in our own strength. I have to confess it was hard to sing that song last night. We've been waiting on the Lord to provide another child in this family. We didn't have this "trying to conceive" wait with Emily. God provided right away, we rejoiced and her whole life has been a quick-paced, no waiting adventure. In the past I would genuinely hurt for and pray for friends who had to wait and work at trying to conceive but I didn't know the trial. Now I can say that I do. We haven't been in this process for as long as many of our friends have. But I have had many of the same times of disappointment, fear, jealousy, and confusion that I never went through the first time around.

I write this with hope that maybe this will be the last month of waiting but also with gratitude to the Lord for using this experience in so many ways. I have a deeper respect for the mystery of creating a child (and a family)- God really is in control of this! There is not a thing more we can do to help this process along. And there are reasons for His timing that are hard for me to see now, but I have confidence we will see and be thankful for them in the future. I have a longing for this child that I might not have culminated as much (same love and excitement yes but perhaps not as much longing) had we conceived right away again. I love my husband even more for his support and love during this time and how he's lead us in prayer while we ask and wait. I would probably still complain about morning sickness (c'mon- it is not easy) but I know I'd be more thankful for it having prayed for it for so long. Long story short, God's strength is already starting to rise in me as we wait on Him to give us direction for the future. Be it another pregnancy or an eventual adoption, we feel that our family is not yet complete and we hope in Him that we'll see fruit in this area soon. I'd covet your prayers for my heart during this time- that I'll continue to rejoice with others who are pregnant, that I won't give in to fear, and that I'll use this time of being a one child mom to raise her up well and bring glory to God when my time is more available to pour into her and others!

2 questions for you to share in the comments or email me with:
1) How have you been impacted by a totally free gift lately? Or how have you been able to bless someone in this way?
2) Is God's strength rising in you as you wait upon the Lord in a certain area of your life?