Fear and more fear...

As I might have mentioned, between my husband and I, adoption was a wagon that I was the last to get on. At the beginning of this procees, I sought the Lord for guidance and have been moved from wanting to have another child of my own, to no longer having that desire, and spending more and more time looking into the many children in need a loving family.

It's been an amazing journey and I have felt God through it. I felt I knew the path He wanted for us, and now....I am flooded with FEAR!

Fear has cropped up in so many areas that I think about:

- How will my family react and what if they're not supportive?
- How will my children react, particularly my youngest, who has gotten very comfortable being the baby?
- How will people passing by react when I'm sitting at Panera with my three children, one who clearly doesn't look like the rest of us?
- How will I feel about the child once he/she is here?

I have felt the Lord through this journey and now, amidst all of this fear, I can barely hear His voice.

So, if I'm having trouble hearing his voice, I will go to His word...

Here are some lessons that are being brought to my attention:

1.The authorities choosing not to believe in Isaiah's message due to fear...
John 12:42-43
"Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but, for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

2. The fear of the Israelites to take the land God had called them to...
Numbers 13:28
"However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there."

The Lords response:
Numbers 14:11
"How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have done among them?"

A quote I ran into by Corrie Ten Boom was
'Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

The last interesting thought I came across was the idea that to overcome fear we must live what we believe.

"Sometimes we find it more comfortable to talk about the life of Jesus rather than let Jesus live in and through us."

Please pray that the 'noise' of fear will not drown out the word of God.