Mother of Seven + 2

When I have hardly blogged over the last year, it is hard to know where to start.  I want to start by giving thanks though.  I am thankful to my heavenly Father who has provided some answers for me with my health. Over the past several years, I have struggled with fatigue.  When I mentioned it to our doctor on a couple different occasions he just laughed and said, "You have how many children???"  As if that explained it all. Recently I visited a nurse practitioner who specializes in natural hormone replacement therapy.  She did blood work and found my hormone levels to be extremely low.  She started me on some natural hormones, and that seemed to help some.  However, when I went back a month later, I told her I still felt like I was more tired then what was natural. I had energy first thing in the morning.  By lunch time, I needed a nap.  Even after a nap, I would struggle to find energy to get supper and wrap up the day's activities....

It was one of those nights.  After collapsing in bed exhausted, I woke up at 1:30 a.m. unable to go back to sleep.  My brain woke up, and it wouldn't shut off. I lay in the dark staring at the ceiling.  Tears slipped quietly down my cheeks as I tried not to disturb my husband.  My brain struggled to rationalize, my heart hurt, and my stomach was twisted tight. In moments like these I often think God put the Psalms in the Bible just for me.  I can relate to so many of David's cries to the Lord.  There are times when I feel alone.  I feel like I am surrounded by the enemy, and I wonder where God is.  (I know...probably not the words you would expect from a minister's wife.  But I am human.) The dark of the night is when soul searching prayers are cried out.  It's just me and the Lord.  Last night after an hour or so, I knew I desperately needed sleep.  I asked the Lord to please just let me have peace in knowing everything ...

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1 Image: seaskylab / FreeDigitalPhotos.net My husband and I spent eight years in the Joplin area.  We attended Ozark Christian College and then my husband held a ministry in Webb City, a city adjacent to Joplin.  The devastating tornado last May was emotionally moving for us.  We still had friends in the area, so at first we wondered if they were all ok.  Then the scope of the devastation began to sink in.  Such a long road to recovery ahead for this city which was home and still tugs at our heart strings. Our church sent a work crew to Joplin shortly after the tornado.  I wanted to go but was unable due to the number of younger children at home that needed me.  So, I offered to help by baking cinnamon rolls for some of the volunteers.   I started baking the day before our crew was to leave.  By 1:00 p.m. things were progressing nicely....

Guest post by my daughter, Kaytlin. Eight years ago I had no idea what marvelous things God can do through prayer. My family consisted of six members: Mom, Dad, my three brothers, and of course me. My Dad was a preacher, and my Mom stayed home and schooled us. Although there were only six of us, we lived in a huge white house which was around century old. It was connected to the church building where my Dad preached. It was here that I rested in the safety of friends and family. As a result, hardship was a foreign concept to me. One would think I was a happy child. After all, I had everything I needed. For the most part, I was content; but there was something I longed for. In fact, I would often pray for it when I was tucked into bed each night. I would say, “Dear God, please give me a little sister.” It was not like I was lacking in friends or siblings. In fact, my brothers would play dolls with me. I just wanted a little sister. It may have seemed like quite a coincidence when ...

One day at Ladies Bible Study I was recounting some of the specific prayers God had answered in relation to our journey through foster care to adoption.  When I finished one lady tearfully said, "Do you know what that makes me think?  That makes me think that there is a grandma out there praying for those children!"  That comment stuck in my head perhaps because I thought, "We aren't aware of any grandparents.  The grandparents were all eliminated as possible homes for the children." Fall blew by and soon it was time for the holidays.  One day in the mail a Christmas card arrived.  I didn't recognize the sender on the return address.  Curiously I opened it.  A picture of an elderly lady and a $20 bill dropped out.  I quickly read the card.  The writer introduced herself as the children's great grandma.  She wished us a Merry Christmas and said the money was to by a ham or turkey for our Christmas dinner.  She continued on and...

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.   Psalm 107:11 As 2011 begins my heart is full of gratefulness to the Lord for all he has done.  This was the fifth Christmas since we adopted.  The holidays have been especially rough for Troy and Mikey.  Between Thanksgiving and the middle of January each year had become an established pattern of emotional turmoil.  We would think things were going pretty well, then suddenly we would plunge into a wild roller coaster ride of behavior issues.  I love the holidays, but for this reason there was some wariness in my heart as they approached. However, God showed us his power to heal hurting hearts, and we had such a special Christmas.  This year we watched our boys eagerly beg us to open their presents to us first.  We saw them joyfully interacting with all their siblings and genuinely being happy.  They poured out love to those around them, and there was not a single angry o...