Living Faith

Noah was surrounded by people who wanted to dissaude and detract him from following God's call in his life. Noah acted in faith to God's call even though what he was called to do went against common sense and the "rules". Noah ran his race with the intent to win. He did not worry about public opinion. We can look at Noah's life for guidance when it seems we are the only ones walking a certain path; running an only course. We are not alone in our faith. God will always be there to guide and help through life's many storms and trials. An active and living faith can at times require actions that may seem new and uncomfortable, but the rewards are eternal.


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Monday, October 24, 2011

I prayed for Tebow..silly but serious


Imagine our disappointment this year when we learned John Fox would be following us to Colorado to coach the Broncos.

North Carolina being our home state, we pulled for the Carolina Panthers up until this last year. Last year, we decided to plant ourselves in Colorado and with that we must pull for the home state team. Pulling for the Denver Broncos was not hard for me. As a young girl, with a crush on John Denver, I always wanted to live in Colorado. I have always had a Rocky Mountain High! Plus, pulling for the team that had Tim Tebow on it would be easy. A young man with the character that I pray my young men will have.

Unfortunately, with Fox's coaching, the Gentry family was fearful Tebow would not have a chance. Imagine my joy last week when Greg told me Fox would be playing Tebow this week. I prayed for this young man. Through all his patience and good sportsmanship during this season, I wanted him to be an example of character as well as success.

Due to an unrelenting illness, I slept through the football game. However, as I said before, I prayed this week for him. I slept peacefully knowing the game, although trivial in world peace, was in God's hands.



Oh, what an example I have set for myself to do the same with other issues in my life.

You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
Psalms 10:14,17-18



I have prayed this weekend for my boys in China, for the China Center of Children's Welfare and Adotion, CCCWA, and for the orphanage. Greg and I have written a letter to the CCCWA and we are awaiting a response that the letter will be delivered.

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.
Isaiah 1:17



Just as Tebow won in the final minutes of the Broncos/Dolphins game, my Lord will win as well.


Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:8-9



I will put it in his hands and rest.

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.
Psalms 68:5-6

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Allowing God


We are not fundamentally free; external circumstances are not in our hands, they are in God’s hands, the one thing in which we are free is in our personal relationship to God. We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us, or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be.

Conformed to His Image, 354 L


We celebrated Chloe's and my dear husband's birthdays on October 10th. How far we have come in just 13 months. Chloe's health is great, her prognosis is great and her desire to love us as her earthly parents has been confirmed.

Chloe came from external circumstances beyond her control. There were external circumstances that almost prevented her from being joined to our family. There were doctors that did not want us to bring her home. We fought however and I could not be more thankful for allowing God to work this miracle in our lives.

We are all faced with external circumstances that are beyond our control. Sometimes it does not seem fair that some of us appear to have greater things to overcome, but I believe that those obstacles can lead to a more fulfilling life, if only we allow God to use it for the good instead of Satan using it for evil.

Chloe has chosen to use her for the good.

I have chosen to use mine for the good.

There are still many obstacle in our path but with God we know where the path will end.

In His Name,
Amy

Saturday, October 1, 2011

In the house and on the street,

how many many feet you meet!

Feet have always been an obstacle for me, that is until I got my girls.

I hid my feet for many years because I was teased about them as a young girl.

However, when we brought home our first daughter, Rayea, at 18 months, I learned that love could be transmitted through the feet!



The only way I could soothe Raeya the first two sleepless weeks was to rub her feet. This was a wonderful lesson learned because the foot rubbings for our second daughter who did not like me for awhile, proved to be our connection as well.

Tonight as I painted the girl's toenails burgundy, pink, blue and purple, I marveled at the differences of their feet. Feet that I knew resembled the feet of their birth parents. Oh, how I would love to meet their parents, thank them, and introduce them to the most wonderful gift a person could give.

I pray for their birth parents.

I pray they are saved.

If not, I pray for their salvation.

I pray for the one whose beautiful feet will bring the Good News to them.

(Romans 10:15 NLT).