We had a little miracle this weekend. On Tuesday morning of this week, someone shared on one of our fb adoption pages that this "Called Together" conference had a open spot due a couple cancelling last minute. We had never even heard of this group before but I felt like it had our names written on it. We had to act fast if we wanted it because they were sharing it as quickly as possible. I wasn't able to get back them until I got babysitters and that wasn't until noon.
And it was still open!!!
Such a blessing!
So much thoughtfulness was put into this retreat... Even a bag full of love and a hand written personal welcome note was in our room.
We were seriously struggling to find time for each other. I know we have only one child, but she will not tolerate being alone at all. To say the least, after being married for 14 yrs without having children, I CRAVE time to talk without being interrupted during daylight hrs. Sure we can talk after she goes to bed at 10:30, but seriously, I'm just too tired. So this just seemed like a little miracle placed in our laps.
And it was been a great blessing.
One of my biggest struggles or "shame" is that I'm not good enough. I'm not a good enough of a mother, spouse, or Child of God. I'm just beyond imperfect.
To be encouraged that "God is enough" is just priceless.
Since we signed up so late, we didn't sign up for our afternoon session ahead of time. So we randomly picked and God plopped me into a class that I needed more than anything else. It was on speaking life into your child. Affirming speech. Speak Jesus.
We just loved the praise services! Just beautiful to sing and worship together.
And we loved laughing together....the "Love Doctors" came 3 different times and made us howl with their tackyness. They give us all kinds of "marriage advice" to raise our romance level from "here to here" :)!
Most of the sessions and meals, we were sat around 8 person tables. To some people, this was so excellent. To G and I, well..it was ok. We would normally sit at the emptiest table and then let people join us. After Saturday lunch, we both felt a little overwhelmed. It seemed as everyone wanted to talk about their college degrees and here we are simpletons with just a high school education. Was everyone a teacher, upper management, social workers, youth directors, and pastors?? I would say more than 50% of the couple's lives were intertwined somehow. Someone told me that one church alone had 22 couples here. I WANT to visit this church!! I want to see how God has filled this church with the passion of adoption! How amazing!
We went back to our room and just felt overwhelmed. G started to say that these people are living out their Christian lives more than we ever will. I shut him down. God can't call us all to the same thing. We can't all be called to youth pastoring or teachering. We ARE right were God placed us. God has allowed G to form relationships with his customers to the point that he can SPEAK God. God is teaching me things in parenting that no college degree could.
Three messages that rang through loud and clear to me..
1. God is enough!
2. If I believe #1, it will Return me to Joy!
3. I am right where God called me to be.
For our Saturday night dinner, God placed two beautiful couples at our table. It was a great blessing to hear other couples stories of how God was and is faithfully working in their marriage and family. Even through the roller coaster of life. And listen and mourn their losses. Huge mountainous losses.
But God is still enough!
