Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Be Still and Know that I am God

The last few days have been spent painting bedrooms and getting ready for two sets of bunk beds. This leads into an incredible story about how our first set of bunk beds came into our possession.
The first Sunday after hearing about Levi and Jesse, we announced the news in church and displayed their pictures on the screen in the sanctuary. There was a new couple and their family visiting church this day and after listening to our news, they decided they wanted to help in some way.
The next morning, after looking our number up in the phone book, I get a phone call from Tammy and she said she had a question for us. She explained that the Lord was moving her and her husband to call to see if we had a need for any bunk beds?! I about croaked! Instantly, I was so touched at the thoughtfulness of this couple and their willingness to listen to the voice of the Lord, that was prompting them to call.
A little side note..........After hearing about the boys, Layne and I started looking on- line at bunk beds. We had decided that we would like to have the set in the boys room be the kind with a Full bed on the bottom and a twin on the top. This would enable Levi to sleep comfortably with Isaac or for one on us to lay by him if he was scared or sad in the night. Both Levi and Jesse are used to sleeping with others. Families in rural Ethiopia most of the time sleep in one room huts on the dirt floor with siblings or parents close by. So now with this added info, I will continue about the bunk beds.
Anyway, Tammy explained that they did not have a need for these like brand new beds because of a change in their sleeping arrangements. I explained we would want to pay them and she insisted that they wanted to "bless" us with these. She began to describe them to me. She said they were wooden and their was a FULL bed on the bottom and a single on the top. My eyes were moved to tears and instantly my thoughts were filled with reminders of how faithful and gracious our God is. With our finances already stretched beyond our means (but not God's), we were receiving bunk beds nicer than anything we would have been able to afford. God also provided some discounted mattresses from our friend who manages a furniture store in town.
Throughout this adoption I have been very tempted to be anxious about the total lack of finances in our budget to afford to do this. We did not begin this process because we had all the money saved or even an idea of where we would get it. We felt the Lord directing our hearts toward adopting children and caring for orphans. I am typing this and we still have about 7,00o dollars to come up with in order to bring our boys home.
Isn't it funny that because of bunk beds, I was reminded once again of how He provides. As I think and look at these bunk beds in our home, God reminds me of His precious words in Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God" Ahhhhh...........stillness in the Lord is a much more peaceful place to be, rather than doubting and anxious.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi! My name is Sandy. Layne, I work with your sister LaRae. I have so enjoyed her tails about your family through the years and now am enjoying your blog which she shared with me. My husband is the pastor of the Evangelical Free Church in Meriden. I know the Lord as my personal Savior and am so excited about what he is doing in your lives. Thanks for sharing.