This is not a "life threatening" prayer need...everyone here is (thankfully) healthy.. (for now :) ) ..But I believe the Bible is clear about asking others to help us pray about matters of our hearts. I also believe God hears and answers our prayers. I hope you feel the same about sharing this type of need with us too...anytime.
As many of you know, Mary was adopted at age 7 along with her sister Lizzie at age 2. By the sheer Grace of God both girls have grown and are growing up to be wonderful young ladies with hearts for God.
Mary asked to be homeschooled when she was in 3rd grade. Of course, like many Moms at first I said "no way...there is absolutely, positively no way I can do this!" (but for the Grace of God!)
Well, we did homeschool from the time she was in 4th grade untill she went to Christian School in 10th, brought her home again in 11th and then she went on to graduate from Lighthouse Christian Academy in May of this year. Like many of us and many of our children, at the time of graduation, Mary had "no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up".... Time seemed to go so incredibly fast as the momentum built up to graduation day (Kind of like the Starship Enterprise.."Going 'where no man has gone before'... warp speed!)
Well, that dreadful day came when we were to have things lined up..(scholarships, colleges, sat's etc etc)...not to mention everyone asking... so.. what are you going to do now? (no pressure)....We were just not ready. On top of all that, we often had that looming feeling of knowing that the world had it's own idea and plans for her...which, at times was extremely frustrating, fearful and very distracting. In our case, we had some serious adjusting, soul searching, tempering and maturing to do...we just weren't ready. (and, I'm sure we still have a long way to go in the grand scheme of things!)
During those times when we were trying to figure out what exactly she should plan for her future..., she always seemed to express her love for children and the only "career" she could verbalize was that of Early Childhood Education....and photography. But, we just weren't ready...the ducks were not even close to being in a row... much less even able to be located!.
Lately, however, it appears that things are rapidly changing and she may even have an opportunity to attend Bible College at Crown College in Tennessee. Tonight, as we were praying about it and discussing it, she said, "Mom, all I really want to be is a good wife and mother and if I can go for Early Childhood Ed at Crown, I can learn these skills and also have something to fall back on." Wow... out of the mouths of babes...This is really what we have been training her for...to be a godly wife and mother and serve the Lord Christ!
Ron and I looked at each other and were just so amazed at how the Lord just seemed to reveal to us by her statement that He had done a work in her life! After 'laboring' for these years in prayer and trying, (at times against all odds...like my own nature!), to raise her up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD... praying she would someday see for herself the things God has in store for her...(plans to prosper,) and yeild to Him.... I really feel like the LORD showed us tonight what He can do with a little girl that the devil had planned to kill steal and destroy and had pretty much had a plan in the works for the first 7 years of her life not to have any kind of future... BUT GOD!!! It's all GOD it's all HIS MERCY. She is a trophy of GOD's WONDERFUL GRACE.
Many of you know by experience that often times it's not an easy road raising our children according to scripture, especially with the world we live in...but oh the rewards! And I guess I'm trying to say GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN {US} THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.. If we walk in the Spirit, press on and perservere, there will be a reward someday!. I have failed time and time again.. but that just goes to show you who is at the helm.... it is God who deserves all the Glory!
Anyway... Please help us pray that if it really is God's Will for Mary to attend Crown, doors will open and ways will be made for her to be able to walk through those doors. Specifically, please pray that the finances will work out and that things will line up so that she may be able to get in for Spring semester. And, that she would study hard and pass her SAT on December 5th, with a good score so she will qualify for a scholarship to help her get started. Pray for Ron and I and for Liz as the seperation will be extremely difficult for all of us.. she is such a blessing to us all and we love her and will miss her very very much.. With all the teen turmoil...there is equal joy...
Thanks very much for your prayers and encouragement.. (I think this is what support groups are all about... supporting each other??? If any of you ever have specific prayer needs or concerns for your homeschooling families and children that you want us to pray about, I hope you will not hesitate to post, or send a private note.... bearing one another's burdens fulfills the law of Christ)
I hope this email in no way sounds arrogant or prideful...what we did in adopting Mary and Liz was really for our own joy, so that we could have a family...not to be able to say "look what we did"...trust me...it's been a road! and anything that was done was all because of GOD and Who HE is! :) This email is meant to be encouraging and helpful... and to ask for you to help us pray for Mary...We will give God all the Glory no matter the answers to our prayers.
Sorry to go on.. but I just needed to share.
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