Convinced

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day!  I have never been a really big Valentine's Day person....mostly due to the fact I didn't have that many Valentine's in my life :)  But also....I would much rather be loved on a random day then a day that Hallmark made up!  I am looking forward to tonight because I will be spending it with women who I adore and am thankful to have in my life!  


Now on to more.......adoption.  Today my heart certainly longs for the child we are waiting for.  I prayed this morning that he/she would feel loved today and that his/her family and Mom would feel and know the love of Christ in their lives.  That today might be a day when they see or feel Him in a tangible way.  Not much has been happening on this side of the world with adoption, but I know that in Addis....much is being done.  I know that there are so many people that are advocating for the orphan.  It might feel slow here to me but I know that there are amazing people who are doing their job above and beyond to advocate and defend those who cannot themselves.  I must say that our paper chain has been a little on the lacking side.  I think I fell into discouragement and just plain stopped doing it.  But I realized that I was not rejoicing in the story of my child....no matter how it is unfolding.  So friends, I am going to revive that chain today....get new numbers written down and start taking pictures again.  


Yesterday when I was reading in Genesis a verse popped up to me.  I love it when the Lord does that.  When you have read something so many times but then at once, something old becomes new again to you.  

GENESIS 3:6 (NLT)"The woman was convinced.  She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.  She took some of the fruit and ate it.  Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it too."

I couldn't get away from the word, "convinced".  Eve was convinced.  It made me wonder....what lies has the devil convinced me of....what lies have I taken to heart....twisted in order to get my way.....justified to make myself feel better.  Isn't that what we always have to do with sin?  Convince ourselves that we are justified in our behavior so we feel better.  As opposed to just calling it what it is.  Sin.  Disobediance.  Desiring our own way.  Wanting what we want when we want it and how we want it.  And ultimately...Eve's decision to disobey effected someone else...Adam.  And the same is true for us.  No sin we commit effects only ourselves....ultimately it will effect those around you.  This began a great time for me to ask the Lord to reveal to me what is in my heart that needs to go.  What lies have I been convinced of that the Lord needs to remove from my heart?  The Lord never needs to convince us into believing anything.  But the devil always has to convince us.  The devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy.  And by convincing to convincing to convincing he can accomplish just that.  Because at times, before we know it, we are in a pit and wondering how we got there in the first place.  For me.....it has always just been one little lie at a time. A slow progression.  A slow fade.  And the ONLY thing I want to be convinced of is,

ROMANS 8:38-39(NIV)"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It is through the Holy Spirit that I have the power to turn away from the devil's convincing and turn to truth in the Word.  To know the truth about God through His Word so that I might know the truth about myself.  I am thankful for His Word and how it speaks to me, challenges me, and convicts me. 

So friends.....what are you convinced of today?  Are you struggling with trusting the Lord?  Believing His Word to be true?  Believing that He really does have the whole world in His hands.  Trusting that He is a promise keeper?  Whatever it is.....be in His Word.  That is the only way to know Him personally and in turn learn the truths of who you are.  When you are beginning to hear the voice of the convincer pray for the Lord to speak to you.  Pray that you would hear His voice alone.  And know today that you are loved by the God of this universe.  That nothing can separate you from this love because of Jesus.

**Pictures to follow soon!