"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
The past 7 months wasn't something I ever thought I would experience... nor had it ever crossed my mind to be part of, but God knows how to bless us even when you don't see it coming. I hadn't considered ever taking into my home a complete stranger, let alone a teenage girl from a foreign country but God knew that we both needed one another at this time. You see his plans are greater than our own.
Emma came to live with me through a student exchange program. It was a last minute decision for me to take on the care of her when I realized I had more home than was needed for just myself. The house just felt empty until she arrived and made a house a home. She brought with her a different world, a different culture and a different view of life along with a messy room! She was 16 and I was well lets just let something be a secret, shall we? :) Since her arrival we have had a home filled with laughter, deep conversations, adventures and vegging on the couch movie binging. We have shared so many cups of Starbucks that I lost count and we've shared life where I've introduced her to my world and she allowed me into hers. We've spent quiet time together, we have done homework on Sunday afternoons, we've gone on walks and long drives. She has become like my own and I didn't even know how much she would grow to mean to me.
God has blessed me the past 7 months with Emma along with her buddies... I call them the International Brigade. I've met other students from different countries and have enjoyed them as well. They have showed me that in this great big world, we may have differences but there are some things that we share in common and that is that we need one another to feel complete. God knew before the world began that we would be designed to rely on one another, to learn from one another and to feel a small sample of the love that he has for us through our relationships. You see he had a plan for us and we didn't even know it.
After losing my son and then going thru numerous disappointments of trying to have more children, I felt my dream of being a mom was over. I couldn't understand that... the Bible tells us that God grants us the desires of our heart and yet my desire had always been to be a mom. I wrestled with this scripture for many years and couldn't understand why the one thing I had desired, was the one thing God didn't bless me with after losing Nigel. I tried to come up with explanations such as... I did get to be a mom, just didn't get to keep him long. Then I began to realize, there have been kids along the way that needed me. I got to give what every mother gives... big hugs, advise and unconditional love along with guidance and pointing them to Christ.
This time with Emma has allowed me to again be a temporary Mom to a very special young lady who I will love for always as a daughter. She will move back to Italy and I will miss her terribly but I will know that she was brought into my life for a purpose and fulfilled in me the desire of my heart... to be a mom again. God fulfilled his promise to give me the desires of my heart. I never specified how I wanted to be a mom and his plan was far different than what I imagined but I have been so blessed.
I could have been content in this house and never opened that door up to the unknown adventure that was about to take place, and I would have been robbed of a great blessing. In life we sometimes fear the unknown and instead of reaping the harvest of the reward we lose out on what God promised us.
What about you? What blessing is God still waiting to give you that you simply haven't opened that door to yet? What heart desire do you have still lingering? Have you looked around to see if you've some how missed it or are you about to miss it because fear holds you back? God has plans for you... so what do you say? Got plans tonight?
Under His Wings,
Heather
