The April 2013 GO Team had the privilege of going to the Nile
last week. Most of our teams end up there.
It is always such an exhilarating sight for my soul,
personally speaking.
There is something about knowing that the great prophet and
leader of the Jewish nation,
Moses,
once lay in a basket among the reeds
in the Nile River.
True enough, where we stand is thousands of mile from where Moses was lowered
into the water, yet the powerful story of Moses
ultimate rescue is still felt thousands of years later.
The other day I stood staring at the water,
thinking and imagining
what it would have been like to be Moses’ mom,
Jochebed,
knowing that all little boys under two were supposed
to be killed?
Defying orders,
Jochebed secretly hid Moses away until
she could hide him no longer and
made a basket in which she slipped him, and
carefully placed the basket in the reeds of great Nile River.
Can you imagine the feelings that likely
ran wild in Jochebed’s heart and mind?
My heart races just thinking about it.
Yet, God had a significant plan
in that Moses was drawn out of his basket,
his life spared,
and a miracle rescue followed!
Moses’ own mother paid to nurse him while
he grew among Egyptian royalty.
I can’t help but believe that every single day
Jochebed would look down at her nursing baby and
whisper over and over and over,
“Thank you God for rescuing my son.
Thank you for sparing His life.
Thank you for the amazing plan you surely must have for him.
Thank you that I don’t just get to watch him grow
from afar, but tenderly I snuggle and feed him
from my own breasts that you filled for him.
You are an amazing God!
You, alone, are worthy of all praise!”
I just have this feeling that even after Moses was grown,
and leading the Jewish nation
{and knowing that everyone knew God called Moses ‘a friend of God’},
Jochebed still likely never stopped marveling at the
way God had spared Moses’ life many, many, many years before.
Personally speaking, I parallel Moses’ story
with so many of my treasures
and I would imagine many of you have similar stories…
The miracle health-related rescue.
The aging-out rescue.
The we-didn’t-have-a-dime-when-we-started-the-adoption yet every penny came in –
in the nick o’ time.
The government we wanted to adopt from said our family was too big,
but God said, “I will move on their hearts for an exemption.”
The “adoption guidelines” said we didn’t make enough,
but God said, “Really? Watch this.”
The “agency” said ‘you’re single’ and then came back
and said, “We’ll make an exception.”
The “foreign government ‘rule’ that says ‘if you’ve had cancer you can’t'”
and the multiple children who now sit in your home,
evidence that God changes hearts of foreign governments.
I think of our Isaiah Samuel,
whom the entire Chin*se government
said, “you can’t have him”
{after saying we could}
due to a mistake on our agency’s part.
But it didn’t matter what the government of Ch*na said,
because God in His miraculous plan,
moved every single mountain, valley, obstacle
and government official’s heart
to reverse their decision, enabling Isaiah to come home to us.
I cannot look at our Elizabeth Mercy and not think of how
God rescued her by one hour.
Just one hour.
Elizabeth, seemingly destined for a life without a family,
yet our powerful God orchestrated the situation
on her behalf and she will tell the world
for her entire life, about God’s mighty rescue.
And then I think of our teeny-tiny Ruby Grace.
A treasured gem from the heart of God.
Although she lay in a obscure garden dying,
God had His protective,
sheltering hand on her.
The African Sun?
The fact that Ruby was only bones with skin on them.
The fact that her brain had had one infection after another.
The fact that there were over 12 places with water pooling in her
very compromised brain.
The fact that she was only six pounds and already a year old.
Yet, God preserved, protected and ultimately rescued her
{and she’s thriving – she sure is}.
********
Yes, all those thoughts float through my head almost daily.
He rescues.
He preserves.
He saves.
He obliterates mountains.
He removes obstacles.
He changes hearts.
He provides.
He does it all, because His heart is for the orphan and
He will move on every single government agency,
every high-ranking official,
and any nay-sayer
so that He can show how He loves to put the lonely in families.
He loves to change history with His miracle-working abilities,
and He loves to build our faith.
So I don’t know about you….
But is there a situation that has you fearful?
Is there a circumstance that has you scared to pieces?
Is there a mountain that needs moving?
Is there a miracle you desperately need?
He is more than able.
He is the God of Moses
from thousands of years ago
and
He is the same God today.
“You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.”
Psalm 77:14
“The LORD would speak to Moses face to face,
as one speaks to a friend.”
Exodus 33:11
Just cry out to Him.
He is awake
and
He is listening.
Thank you so much for this post, Linny, and especially for that verse from Psalms. God knew I needed to hear those words today. My mountains seem so big. Thankfully, I'm loved by a God who delights in moving them for me!
I'm so thankful that it ministered to your soul. It came from my heart and was in response to a situation I am walking through. He is faithful. Always. And He loves you oh-so-much!
Powerful testimony, and straight from the heart of you AND of God! Amen and Amen!
Love you Renee. Thank you for being such a beautiful representation of God's love. You are amazing my friend.
Thank you……I really need every single word that was written in this post. Again thank you for allowing God to lead you to all the places and being transparent in your sharing!! God Bless you!!
I am grateful that my private trial is used by God to minister to others. He is, indeed, faithful.
Beautiful children… Beautiful testimony! 🙂
Thanks for reminding me of our miracle working God. Needed that today…..
Oh Linny you have no idea how this just now ministered to me…..thank you! Gotta go pray some more now xxooxoxo
Pray and Fast! It moves the mountains and works on our hearts. xo
Thank you for your inspiring and encouraging words. They mean a lot.
The miracle I desire to see is so small compared to the ones you have experienced that I am SURE He can do it. I just pray that He will.
Oh but Jen, your miracle is important to you – it matters to God…"Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you!" He will work!
Linny I cannot think of a more timely message for a current situation that has me worried sick than this one!! Thank you for sharing!!
Oh my sweet friend, writing this was my therapy and truth of God's word to a situation that has had my heart sick. I spent a good deal of today reading scripture aloud and inserting the names of those that were so concerning…speaking the truths of God's word…do the same…it will give you a peace that passes all understanding. I pray God ministers and moves in your situation. xo
I love it! Thanks so much!!! Annalisa
Oh Linny what a testimony of the amazing grace and miracles of our almighty God… as we get ready to finalize with our Isaiah in less than 2 weeks… I am blown away as well! Praying for you all! Can not wait to see you all!
I am so grateful you will finalize soon…and then you will play with us!!
Love it – simply beautiful – and all over the first "international adoption" in recorded history…it is right and just!
hugs – aus and co.
Aus!! What an amazing thought – the first international adoption – I think that's a blog post right there. For real. Bless you my friend.
Thank you for sharing thoughts from your heart. You have brought comfort and encouragement to my weary heart.
Oh Erica! I am sorry your heart is weary. I pray that God continues to minister to your soul…pray His word aloud for your situation…doing this today ministered deep within my soul. Love to you!
Thank you for the words of encouragement. Every day I wake and wonder if today will be the day that we will receive a call to let us know we have been matched with a child from Ethiopia…and I admit, this adoption journey has been much more difficult and longer than we thought possible. And now that we've been waiting almost 5 years for a match, it has been hard to hold on to hope. Thank you for reminding me yet again, that mountains can be moved, and that He is truly in control.
Beautiful post! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks, that was just what I needed to hear.
As challenges loom as great as a mountain range ahead for my family and I, this has encouraged my heart today. Thank you, thank you.
I desperately needed this reminder and testimony today! I sat here nursing my 6 month old and just cryyyying. Tomorrow is the deadline for final payments to bring those precious 2 boys home this summer and we are $3,100 short! What a scary place to be in. This kind of place DEMANDS faith and I NEEDED the reminder that God can obliterate every mountain. 🙂
Thank you for your words of encouragement! I was so blessed by them! God does overcome all mountains. He has been providing the finances for our adoption and bringing healing to my father in law with pancreatic cancer that the drs said would be a survivor if he lived for another year. Very blessed by your blog and life of faith!