Ordinary People

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
in the light of His glory and grace."

I marvel when people tell me that Marty and I are special, because we love our boys, because God sent us to them. We've been over it here before, but I have to say again, "We're not special!" When God looks for a job candidate it's not the same way man looks. Marty and I are nothing special. If you met us in real life and many of you have, you would not gasp in awe. I promise. You would be meeting two of the most ordinary and likely uninteresting people you've ever met. 

Marty works hard for our family, as a correction's officer at a minimum security prison. He served our country for five years in the US Navy. I stay at home, in my tidy lived in house and do my best to teach our kids. I am the soccer Mom, gymnastics Mom, taxi driver, I always knew I'd become.  I often feel like I'm missing the mark in these endeavors. Neither of us has a college education (plus side: no college loans). We met in high school and did the unthinkable...we got married at 18. I know, I have my own thoughts about marrying young versus waiting til you're in your late 20s or 30s, but that's a different post for a different blog, I guess. So, you see we are ordinary. 

The greatest truth I've realized in the past few years is this one. GOD uses ordinary people! He uses the Shepherd boy to slay the Giant and become the King. Even David had his many imperfections, he committed adultery, murder, and more. He uses the chiefest of sinners to change the course of the church and history forever. Paul knew his own weaknesses, he recognized that he was nothing apart from the awesome grace of God. He uses fishermen, willing to lay down their nets and take up His cross. They didn't know where He was leading, only that He was worth following. 

God uses ordinary people!

He doesn't need us to be extraordinary, He wants to make us into a new creation. He wants to be strong in our weakness. Marty and I have a lot of weakness, for Him to turn to strength. We were not willing participants when He first began to call us down this path. We were willing, though to go where He called. Who does God need to end the orphan crisis? Obedient people, willing people. People who are listening intently to the Saviors calling. People who are tired of the status quo. People who will lay down their nets and take up a cross. People who know that God intended more for them and for their families than to chase the American Dream. People ready to be courageous, ready to risk much for the KINGDOM. 

God is looking for people who have turned their eyes upon Jesus. If you haven't looked in His direction lately, look today. It's amazing how earthly things become less important when we're gazing on our Savior. Your life will be different if you choose Jesus, it will be fuller and brighter than you ever imagined. It will also be hard. My prayer is that the American Church would stop lying to people. Following Jesus will not make your life easier, it's not supposed to. Look at Jesus' life and the life of his followers and then ask yourself if God intended for your life to be easy and comfortable. I'm sure He did not! Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Please, don't feel like God can't use you. Do you feel ordinary? Great! God uses ordinary people. We've seen ordinary people step up and join our family on this journey, again and again, this past year. Without the obedience of ordinary people our boys wouldn't be coming home. Did you hear me? Without the obedience of ordinary people our boys wouldn't be coming home. You've given and prayed and now, that you've watched us walk this path (two of the most ordinary people in the world) maybe you're ready to start your own journey. We'll walk beside you. 12 ordinary men, who had been changed by Jesus, changed the course of history forever. Will you embrace you ordinaryness (I know it's not a word) and pick up your cross and follow Jesus wherever He leads?

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something!

Hidden in Christ,

Mandy