Remembering a prayer...

 

Since my little sweet cheeks turned two, we have most definitely entered the phase of the "terrib..", I mean, "terrific" twos.  Her vocabulary is growing at a rapid pace, yet we are not quite grasping the translation of all of these words.  She wants to climb stairs, buckle, sit in a real seat... all by herself.  Needless to say, when mommy doesn't quite understand or feels the need to assist at times, our little sweet cheeks here is not a happy camper!  I have often said in conversations that she has been our most challenging child yet.  

But the other night as I was putting her to bed and singing to her a song that reflects the blessing that she is to us, it helped me remember how much I had longed for this little girl.  The song speaks of Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel and how she longed for a child.  This was my prayer for Sophie.  We waited for over a year, wondering if we would have another child, already so blessed with our first two sweet girls.  God's timing is perfect though as I cannot imagine trying to start homeschooling with a newborn baby and a toddler.  

She is and will probably always be a challenging child.  But I hope to always remember how much she was prayed for and how blessed we are to have her in our little family.  I was reminded in my quiet time this week that "children are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3  I have done nothing to deserve being a mother to three healthy girls, but I know they are from the Lord, entrusted into my care for as long as He wills.  

I just had to share these pictures!  She was taking care of her baby, sharing her pacifier and then her blankie.    But the temptation got the better of her and she just had have a little taste of it back.  Pray for her in the next couple of weeks as we tell "paci" bye-bye.  

Coming home...

As a child, I had many heroes in my life, but none compared to my parents, Rick & Debbie Miller.  Growing up as a missionary kid in Japan, I never doubted my parents decisions to move when they felt God leading us to move.  It wasn't always easy, but there was still no doubt.  We spent over thirteen years in Japan in which my parents helped to start Japanese churches, taught English & cooking classes, and were even dorm parents for a year at our mission's boarding school.  Now that I am a parent, my respect for them has only grown.  It took tremendous sacrifice for my mother to send me away to boarding school as a six year old only able to see me every three months.  It still amazes me that they traveled home to the States for a break with a six year old, two year old, and newborn baby, not to mention the ten suitcases.  

About a year ago, my parents shared their desire again to return to Japan.  Though the thoughts of missing the best Papa & Nana in the world were often overwhelming, my sisters and our families were in complete agreement that this was God's will for all of us.  Needless to say, the past nine months especially have been difficult at times.  But technology has definitely been a blessing!  

For many different reasons, my parents are returning to us for which we are so thankful and elated!  Here is a portion of my parents last prayer letter...

"We are certain that the Lord brought us to Central Baptist Church for 'such a time as this'. We have witnessed the Lord do some incredible things in the lives of His saints here at Central. By His grace, many lives have been touched and significant strides made in the spiritual growth of His church. The Lord has also used adversity in our lives to prepare us for both current and future ministry. We are so grateful for the things the Lord has taught us this past year, some painful, but all beneficial."

Over the past nine months, they have left a thriving ministry in the US, sold their dream home with all the furnishings, said good-bye to their children and grandchildren, moved around the world to a small apartment that eventually filled with mold covering their ceiling and furniture, endured a difficult surgery, and then all of the challenges that ministry in another country can bring.  Instead of asking "Why?", they asked "How can we learn from this?  How does God want to use us right where we are?"  Through every circumstance, they chose joy!   

Please pray for them as they return tomorrow.  God has already provided a place for them to live and we are still praying for a definite ministry position for them.  God is good, all the time!

A time to celebrate!