Monday, February 28, 2011

Repairer Of Broken Walls

Most days, parenting my adoptive kids is just like parenting my biological ones...the lines are paper thin.

And then there are others, that those lines hit me like brick walls. Thankfully, those are few and far between, but they do come.

Looking over referral paperwork (the info you get when you get matched with your child) for tax stuff, I hit a wall.

"at 5 months he smiles and laughs, and gets a runny nose easily. He is nervous when carried outside."

"at 7 months she can say, "yiyi" and is afraid of strangers. She is happy when with her (foster) mama."

Anyone else have those days??

Last week, an evening trip to the grocery store alone (can someone please say, AMEN?), yielded more than just a cart of goods and a blown budget. I grabbed my Bible on the way out the door...I didn't have any time schedule to be on, and when I'm alone, I usually just wanna hang with Jesus....sitting in the parking lot before I went in, looking up something totally different, I get blown away...

"And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, than your light will rise in darkness.....the Lord will continually guide you....satisfy your desire in the scorched places....give strengh to your bones, you will be like a spring of water whose water does not fail....you will rebuild ancient ruins and be called the repairer of broken walls....."  Isaiah 59:10-12

Catch that...".repairer of broken walls......"

As adoptive parents, who have "satisfied the needs of the oppressed" we get the amazing privilege to repair the broken walls of our children. Our children who have been

left at car dealerships in boxes,
orphanage gates in blankets.
toddlers left wandering at the city park
at police stations, and markets. and alley ways.

Y'all, our kids have some broken, broken, walls. Broken places that take years to rebuild. Walls that can only be securely rebuilt by the mortar of the Word and the healing tools of the Lord. But we get to take part! Be encouraged today that our children can be restored. That the Lord allows us to take part in repairing (not replacing) the walls that have been crushed to pieces. That although we weren't there to wipe that 5 month old's nose, and calm their fears....the Lord was.

What an amazing privilege we have been given. What a humbling job to be granted. Only the Lord can take ugly and make beautiful out of it (yours truly is living proof).

And I cannot wait to see just how beautiful it is.....

Hosea 6:1-3 (New Living Translation)



                                1 “Come, let us return to the Lord.

He has torn us to pieces;

now he will heal us.

He has injured us;

now he will bandage our wounds.

2 In just a short time he will restore us,

so that we may live in his presence.

3 Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us press on to know him.

He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn

or the coming of rains in early spring.”

11 comments:

  1. One of the best posts I've ever read. Ever.

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  2. I just want to thank you. I saw a link to this post on Facebook and came to read it. It was like a big hug from the Lord. Truly Jesus spoke to my aching heart through you and His word you quoted today. Thank you for sharing these words of truth. Our youngest daughter just came home and I have been feeling a little overwhelmed at times over those broken walls.... and it is bringing up a lot of emotion from all of the years it took to repair our oldest child's broken walls... the enemy has been trying to bury me with worry, heartache, exhaustion, etc but today the Lord spoke to me through you and has given me fresh oil! Thank You Jesus for repairing those broken walls in our children... for giving them beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning!
    He is faithful!
    God bless you,
    Daleea

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  3. What a great post. Tara sent the link to me. I'd love to post it over at We Are Grafted In. Please let me know if that would be okay. I'd need your bio and a picture of you to go with the bio. Email me and let me know.
    Kelly
    Kelly@wearegraftedin.com

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  4. E,
    You've ministered to me so many times, but this one was truly awesome. Miss you.
    Say hi to J and the fam.
    How 'bout some Mexican?
    Love, your travel buddy.
    L

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  5. Daleea sent is your way from facebook. Love reading the Bible verses, reminds me to be more disciplined and faithful. Yes, our children do need our love and faith to help them with their life journey. Thank you.

    Alyzabeth's Mommy

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  6. How encouraging, Emily! Thank you, friend!

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  7. Thank you for your post. I believe your post was a message for me. Thank you.

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  8. Em, you're amazing!! Should be/could be a writer!! (Jo)

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  9. What an encouragement! Thank you so much for sharing this.

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  10. I googled "Repairer of Broken Walls" and this post is one of the items that came up. Blessed my heart today and renewed my spirit! Thank you!

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