Worth Fighting For?

"A man dies and appears before St. Peter at the pearly gates of heaven. St. Peter looks at the fellow and says, “Before I can let you in, I need you to roll up your sleeves.” The man is puzzled, but does as he is asked. St. Peter examines the man’s arms and asks, “Where are your scars?” Still confused, the man answers, I don’t have any scars.” With tears in his eyes, St. Peters asks him, “Was nothing worth fighting for?”

I read this quote, recently and it has stuck with me. There are times on this journey to our boys when I question our sanity. I'm going to be really honest here. I'm a people pleaser. I want people to like me. I want to have their approval. I don't like conflict or "rocking the boat." I'd have to say the same is true or truer for my husband. Our goal is for people to see Jesus in us, in our lives, in our home, in our actions. 

I'm reminded that Jesus promises that in following him, we will alienate people from our lives. Well meaning family members will not understand what He has called us to do. Friends who are concerned for Eli and Julie and all that they will  be "sacrificing," they don't understand. They haven't heard the clear voice of God, calling us to fight for OUR sons. 

We will stand before God himself and he will look at our lives and ask, "Where are your scars? What did it cost you to follow my son, Jesus? Did you lose friends, the respect of family members? Did they call you radical, because of your obedience? Did you love much and risk plenty for my son's name? Did you make Him famous in all the earth?" 

I cannot tell you why God trusted us with this journey. Why did He choose us to be the parents to two more amazing children? I can only tell you that we were willing, open to His call and His plan, longing to be in the very center of His will for our lives. We have counted the cost. We are aware of the sacrifices. We are also anticipating the JOY that comes from obedience. We are adding blessings to our home. We are choosing life for our boys. 

You may not understand. I only ask that you keep watching, keep praying and please, if you don't have something encouraging to say, keep quiet.

Our boys, Joseph and Samuel, are worth fighting for. They are worth every piece of paperwork, every doctor's visit, every fundraiser, every setting aside of our pride to ask, plead, beg for the family of God to help us rescue them. They will be worth every battle scar we earn on this journey to hold them and call them our sons. This journey has been and will continue to serve as a constant reminder that this world is not our home. We're just passing through, foreigners in a land, not our home. 

Won't you join us on this battlefield? Samuel and Joseph will not be orphans much longer, but there are millions more like them, who need homes. They need advocates, parents, people who will travel a path less taken to show them the love of Jesus. The love of the one who died so we could each be adopted into God's family. He thought we were worth fighting for, worth dying for. He has the scars to prove His great love for each of us. Listen for His voice, ask what he'd have you do.

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...they're worth fighting for!

Hidden in Christ,

Mandy