God's Faithfulness

I have a story to tell, so bear with me as I share the last 4 months of what God has been up to in the life of my friend. (I'll post pics later of MG's 1st haircut, Dad's retirement party and Nanney's bday), but for now.....

Sept. 11th ~ God laid on my heart to pray for my friend Christy Burchfield to have a baby: whether in her womb or someone else's. Her son, Max, is almost 6yrs. old and is Bryant's best friend. He was a miracle baby (infertility) and after a miscarriage and many attempts at invitro again, it seemed their dreams were coming to an end to fill their home with more children. Back in April of 2007, Brandy Hester and I sat at her kitchen table praying over her with tears streaming down all of our faces...praying for God to restore her soul, give her peace in whatever HIS will was for her life and to find joy again!! Sept. 11th God said to me" I have a child for her, but she needs to surrender to ME first! My will be done, not her own." I shared the burden on my heart with our other dear friend, Brandy Hester, and she said how crazy that was because she had felt God nudging her to pray for Christy, Toby, and Max as well. We decided to fall on our faces before God every day at 8:45am! Mon. and Wed. we would head to our Prayer Room at Pinelake after dropping off little ones at MDO and the other days would be on our own. So the journey began....

Sept. -Dec. ~ We began claiming scripture for Christy, such as Romans, 8:28
Eph. 3:20-21, Phil. 4:4-7,19, Prov 3:5, Psalm 23, James 5:13, Jer. 29:11, and
many many more! We prayed God would bring forth HIS plan before
Christmas and clarification would come! We knew God loved them SO
much and SO much was in store for them....they just had to surrende to HIS
plan. So we continued!

Dec. 24th ~ We spent Christmas Eve with Christy, Toby & Max and I just
prayed that they would share some news with us....but no news came! I
have to admit I was beginning to get worried. No signs of anything.

Dec. 26th ~ Girls Night Out for coffee.....Christy and I rode home together and
I felt God nudging me to say something to her about a baby (pref. adoption). I know Christy and she is very private so I didn't want to ask...I knew she would bring it up if she wanted to talk. But God would not let it rest-I felt as if I would throw up if I didn't say anything, so all of a sudden I just blurted it out....I told her all about me and Brandy and how we've prayed daily and how I knew God had such a blessing waiting for them. She was so honest with me and as tears flowed from her eyes, she spoke of her grief of not being able to conceive again, and the fear of adopting ~ "Would I love another baby the same as I do Max? I carried him for 9 months and gave birth to him. Would that be fair to another child??" I didn't know what to say, and all of a sudden God laid on my heart MARY GRACE! So, I said, "Christy, I've seen you with Mary Grace - the love you have for that little girl, my little girl. You didn't give birth to her, but I've seen it in your eyes- you love her as much as if she were your own!" She began bawling and I knew I had gotten thru to her and reached her heart! "God has a baby for you Christy! Step out in faith and let Him bless you!"
The night ended and I just continued to pray.

Jan. 12th~ I get a call to come to Christy's house as soon as I return from my
Nanney's house. I zoomed over there to find the same scene as I had found 9 months earlier - Brandy and Christy around her kitchen table, except this time, no tears or anger from failed invitro attempts. They told me to sit and here's Christy's story (in so many words...)
She said she had been wrestling with God for many, many months, telling Him she just wanted to be content with the way things were- to settle. She tested Him a few times to see if He wanted her to adopt and everytime He would send Her a "word" she would manipulate it to fit "her plan. She told God that in Jan. she was done! She wanted closure on not having another baby and to enjoy life as is! She wanted the longing to go away! On Jan. 10th, her dog died and she became angry with God once again. As she was running on the 11th, she thought, "God, you won't let me get pregant again and now you take my dog! What are you trying to do?" And all of a sudden it hit her like a ton of bricks!!! God was trying to get her attention!!! She stopped and realized that she had tested Him one too many times and He was fed up. She had prayed right before Christmas that if she was to adopt that He would send someone to just tell your straightforward to do it, or she was done! As she was running, she realized, that night in the car with me, it was not just Stacy bringing up a touchy subject, but something that God had been orchestrating for many, many months in the hearts of many! Right there on the Northshore running path ~

She Surrendered All!!

She realized His plan was for them to adopt this whole time! Toby had wanted to all along, but God had to break her first!

She ran home and filled out all the paper work, sent in their pictures, and wrote the check!!!

Wow, the freedom in aligning your life with God's plan!!!

I hope as you read this you are rejoicing as we are rejoicing!!! We praise God for His faithfullness and goodness! We just can't wait to see this precious baby!!!! Join us as we pray for quickness from China, smooth sailing with all the paper work and home studies, and God's protection all around!

"NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY BEYOND ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS WITHIN US, TO HIM BE THE GLORY IN THE CHURCH AND IN CHRIST JESUS TO ALL GENERATIONS FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN."
Eph. 3:20-21

Christy tells me she is going to join the blog world now with all that God has taught her! She has lots to share! What a precious child of God she is!