...Every Family...

During our last adoption, I was amazed at all we went through ... and still came out joyful and victorious.  This journey, I have no doubt I'll look back and say the same.  There is something so humbling, so overwhelming, and so beautiful about watching God grow your family and knowing you have to depend on Him for every single step.

My focus today is on Ephesians 3:

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

This verse encourages me so much!  My children, those here in our home, and those abroad waiting to come home derive their name from the God of heaven.  Our family, here on earth, is declared His and named by Him.  He names us: Growing, Flourishing, Holy, Whole, His, United, Unique, Blessed, Joyful, Expanded, International, Precious, and Desired.  

And to think that He can do immeasurably more than I ask or imagine...WOW!!!!  Because these days, I am asking and imagining a lot.  No joke ... dreaming BIG dreams these days, and asking God to weed out the ones that come only from my own heart and not from His -- to grow only that which has His blessing.  And yes, HE ALONE GETS THE GLORY for anything and everything that happens in our family, because it is through His grace and His provision that it happens.  I also love the thought of it bringing Him glory through the generations of our family tree, this tree that is bearing fruit from around the world.