Happy Valentines Day!

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 17-19)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38)

In reflection of yesterday's sermon my heart is full as I see God's adoption story in my life. One year ago, some close family friends received the first photos of their little girl. The beautiful little girl's face held no smiles, her eyes reflect an emptiness that I will never forget, she stood alone in her world. You see she had lived for 2 years in an orphanage without a Mom and Dad to love her--this was the world she knew. But, God had greater plans and her parents, without knowing her, had action love that reached out--stepping out in faith to bring this precious little one into their family. Not unlike God did, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in His should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) He had action love for me--reaching into my world (when I knew no different) to take me into his family and therefore experience great blessing. That is the changing love, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sin . . . but because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (See Ephesians 2:1-6) My life is changed because of God's love working in me. There is one little girl who today has a loving mother and father, a family, love--her life has been forever changed. Third, God's love becomes complete in me as I show God's love. Just last week, that little girl held her arms out in front of me before she climbed into my lap. She then grabbed my face and began to nuzzle her nose against mine--her smile wide and bright, her eyes full of sparkle. You see, she has love to give today because she has been given love. And there you have it; you ask why we are going to adopt. Why, when (especially financially) this makes no sense. Yes, we long for a 4th child (but a biological child would have been a much simpler option!). Yes, we are looking forward to loving on and being a part of a Ethiopian-daughter's life. But more, in light of what God has done fore me--His adoption story for me--how could I say no? In a far greater way He reached into my life with love, changed my life through love, and gives me love in abundance.