A Child's Prayer

I have been distracted lately. Even feeling a little sad. Sometimes it is so difficult to know if I am simply taking on Anthony's emotions or if they are truly my own.

Since our Easter visit, it has been very apparent that he is processing his story. It is good, but hard. Sometimes I feel selfish and wish everything could be beautiful and easy with our family, but then I realize that our family IS beautiful and it is because things are NOT easy. The growth we all experience is that much more powerful because of where we started.

So I had been feeling distracted. I wasn't praying with the boys in the morning like usual. We weren't taking the time to read the Bible before bed. I was in a 'funk' and I didn't like it one bit.

I love, love, love how God is so gentle when guiding us back. The Bible story we read together tonight was the parable Jesus told of a son who ran away to be free from his father and who returned expecting to be reprimanded, but was instead welcomed home with a great amount of love and celebration. Oh, how I could identify with that son.

After reading, David relaxed into the large reading corner pillow and expressed, "That made me feel really happy and peaceful inside. I felt like I was in Heaven being held in Jesus' arms."

Amen! What a special gift to know and feel God's unconditional love for us.

In our living room, we have a row of six framed pictures set up on a shelf. Each picture is of a child who is waiting for a family to call their own - forever. After school, David started asking me questions about them.

"What are their names?"
"What grade is he in?"
"Does he have a brother? A sister?"

Then he asked a big question, "Can we adopt him? Pleeeeeaaase."

I smiled. He started talking about how we would need to get another bed for him. I started thinking about how God would need to work some major miracles if this child was to be a part of our family. I have no doubt that God can do anything, but for now we are praying that these children experience healing and that they are blessed with just the right families for them.

David and Anthony each picked out a framed picture and brought it down to the floor so that we could pray for the child that they chose.

I could sense the power of their prayers as they bowed their heads down to the ground, squeezing their eyes tight, and lifting up sweet, loving, genuine words spoken to God...pleading for these children to have a family and to know how much Jesus loves them...

My heart filled with love and I felt such a deep sense of peace as I joined with them in praying.

A child's prayer....there is nothing like it and I for one cannot wait to see how God answers!

Would you like to join us in praying for these kiddos as well? It would be such a blessing to have you join us on the evening of May 18th!