YOU MAKE ME BRAVE

From Beth:

I have met the most amazing people in the world of adoption and foster care. What a group of powerful and brave people! It is an honor to sit with or have a Facebook conversation with other parents in this Great Journey of Love. 

Really. 

You all are some impressive people and it is truly a privilege to get to know you!

The stories of sacrifice, 

of enduring love, 

of pursuit

and faith

and courage

ARE BEAUTIFUL!

And often they are most beautiful in the unsung, mundane acts of family life. 

For it takes courage to love.

You are a brave group of people my friends. And I was thinking of you as I worshiped God with a new song at church the other day, "You Make Me Brave" by Amanda Cook.

What makes you brave? 

Really. 

Think about that. What has given you the courage to walk into the unknown of adoption or fostering? 

This song made it so clear to me--it is God who makes me brave. He is the One who calls me out into the storm of the unknown. 

I am willing to leave the shore of comfort and familiarity, and so are you, because there is a storm of His Love swirling around me. Wave after wave of His love for me and for my child!

These are not the waves of fear that overwhelm me. 

Not anymore. 

God is calling us, not just that first time when we began our adoption or fostering journey. His voice is beckoning me even today to walk out farther into the realms of love and relationship. 

Fear is driven out by these waves of perfect love (1 John 4:18)

not my love for my child

not my love for God. 

but His love for me

His love for my child.

This idea that I can be overwhelmed, not by waves of fear (fear of the future for each of my 7 children, fear of the myriad "what if's"), but rather by waves of love--this is where I want to live! 

And it is true, God's love for me and His love for my child has indeed made me brave. And it continues to make me brave. It has taken courage for me to speak and write and share through Hope at Home. You may not know, but I am really brave! I know it to be true, because I know me. 

But it is Knowing God that has set me free from the limitations of knowing me. 

Oh what freedom we have in the kingdom!! 

What courage to walk out into the storm and experience the waves of fear be replaced by waves of love!

So my friends, God is making us brave. 

Do you feel the waves of love calling you out into the storm?

You Make Me Brave

So I will let You draw me out
Beyond the shore into your grace.
As Your love in wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me. 

You are for us,
You are not against us.
Champion of Heaven
You made a way for all to enter in! 

You make me brave,
You make me brave,
You call me out beyond
The shore into the waves. 

You make me brave,
You make me brave,
No fear can hinder now
The promises You’ve made.

We say no to fear
We say yes to love
We will go with You
Where You’re leading us.

I have heard You calling my name
I have heard the song of love that You sing
So I will let You draw me out beyond the shore
Into Your grace
Into Your grace