Adoption is Redemption

"Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters,

and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do."

Philippians 3:17

Adoption is Redemption!


As I have shared before, I follow this blog called

A Place Called Simplicity.

One of the most amazing, encouraging, uplifting, inspirational, remarkable and noteworthy blogs about Adoption and Christian living I believe it out there.

This family is the absolute example of denying yourself and pursuing the calling of loving the orphan and sharing the Gospel in the most raw, vulnerable and honest exhibits of simply loving Jesus!

I love this blog!


The most breathtaking story of redemption is now (Lord willing) closing it’s first chapter of adoption. I am sharing this with you because I believe, that not only is adoption God’s heart but the LOVE He provides for His people when they obey His voice, it purely astonishing.

I love to watch the craftsmanship of Christ!

What He can do to a person, village or country when He has hearts of submission is unfathomable. 


Here is the link to one of the most beautiful adoption stories I believe ever told.
It starts here, The Story Begins
And the most recent is here: Being a Mama Again 

My heart melts with ecstasy and delight when I read stories of redemption like this one. This precious little baby girl was dying in the corner of her crib when one of God’s children saw her, loved her and had compassion on her as only God’s children can. Today this little child is becoming stronger, being fed, blanketed with warmth and showered with LOVE! With undeniable LOVE! Praise Jesus!

We have an ALL-knowing, ALL- powerful, mountain moving, ocean separating,

turning water into wine, healer of all diseases, King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Father on our side! Oh Glory!

What is so valued to me is, Linny, (the mom) had posted a verse in connection with this precious treasure of a child, was the SAME verse the Lord gave me on October 11th as I sat in early morning prayer regarding adoption and God’s call on our lives.

He raised the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.

He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.

Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9

I was so encouraged when I read this verse because I KNOW the Lord is speaking to me. I know He is confiding in me. I know He is reminding me that He has a plan!



God’s work is beautiful.
It is perfect.
It is precious.
It is true.
It is R.E.A.L.!

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,

to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Romans 12:1

All Who Are Thirsty

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Isaiah 55:1

This is one of my favorite verses and it reminds me of one of my most favorite songs,

“All Who Are Thirsty”

This seems to be the theme of my heart these days.

The Lord is reviling Himself to me as an endless drink offering.

All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep…

It’s a beautiful thing.

I am currently reading Katie Davis’s book titled, “Kisses from Katie” I am astonished reading these pages of this young woman’s story of how her heart was won, immediately on the streets of Uganda and her heart become knitted together with the children in a way that only Jesus can do. Truly a picture of God’s handiwork.  

I am blown away at her relentless love for Jesus and others. She is a beautiful example of what it means to be clay in the hands of the potter. What wisdom and strength she is displaying in her simple desire to follow Jesus, whatever that may look like.

This young girl is approximately 10 years younger than me

and I feel like I have so much to learn from her.

Selflessness.

Commitment.

Perseverance.

Desire.

Faith.

Love.

As I read her book I find myself in total agreement with her longing and desire in her heart to love the orphan unconditionally. Even though I do not know what that may look like for us and for me and my family, there is a part of me that gets it!

I have said time after time that I feel like my heart is undone, flipped upside down and inside out over the fatherless, lonely in spirit, needy, hurt, desolate and hungry. But Katie said it so perfectly. She said, “In the beginning, I would have described it as God turning my world upside down, but now I know that He was actually turning it right side up.”

THAT’S IT!

I sat and stared at the ground the rest of the evening when I read that. Finally a little clarity as to what was happening inside my heart.

All of a sudden I realized that my tears and weeping over the orphan is how I should already be! The desire in my heart to give of myself should already be there. What was happening to me was not some freaked out crazy spiritual experience. It is the state the Lord needs our hearts to be in daily.

Wow.

All of a sudden I didn’t feel so ‘mentally unstable’.  It was confirmation to me that this IS the Lord’s plan and He is at work through it all.

There are so many layers to what is happening in my heart. To sit here and try to put it in words is almost impossible.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” This verse always comes to my mind when I feel the Lord is speaking many things to me.  I believe He gave me this verse when I first stated to ‘journal’ all the things that were transpiring in my heart. So even though I may not have any new “news” to share with you, I still feel a calling to put my thoughts on paper.

My blog is my pad of paper, my journal.

God’s story of transforming my selfish, self-seeking, self righteous, stubborn, prideful, arrogant, boastful, hard-calloused heart and turning it into something He can use.

That is my prayer.

That my life would be used for HIS glory and HIS kingdom. That I would not find comfort in this life. That my children would not grow up thinking this American way of living is what Christianity (following Christ) is all about. That we would lay our lives down for HIS purpose and for HIS will!

The enemy wants our children.

He wants our marriages.

He wants our church.

He wants our schools.

He wants our homes…

We are in a war.

What are we going to do? Are we going to go to the front lines or are we going to take a back seat and put our heads down?

Today is the day of Salvation.

Today is the day at hand.

What are we going to do with it?

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know the Lord is going to speak wisdom into our lives about what it is He has for us.

I know He has a plan for us.

We just need to wait on Him.

His timing, not ours.

I know He sees every tear that falls. I know He keeps them saved. They are precious to Him and He knows about every single one. And trust me, there are a lot. J I’m not so hard on myself anymore because of my tears. I believe the Lord has created this sensitivity in me now because it is His gentle way of strengthening me for what He has for us in the future. I really do believe that. In so many ways, I feel like I’m in a miniature-boot-camp-prep-class right now. He is molding and bending this will of mine. I am forever grateful and beyond thrilled.

The other morning the Lord blessed me with this amazing sweet verse. I KNOW it was a gift just for me. It was a reminder that yes, He is working. I may not know on what, but He is working…

“He raised the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9

Praise be to God!

♥♥♥

growingforhisglory@yahoo.com

♥


Dear Friends,

I have received several messages from my blog account telling me that I have messages and/or comments to read, however, me being pretty blog-illiterate, can not seem to locate them anywhere. I am so sorry if I have not responded to any of your messages. I would encourage you to send them directly to my email account growingforhisglory@yahoo.com or rmaiocca@yahoo.com.

As you know, I am always eager to read about your heart and hear what the Lord is doing in and through you. I am so blessed by so many sweet words that have been spoken to me regarding my blog from the few that I have shared it with. I know the Lord is stirring the hearts of His people. Things are happening. People are changing and lives are being transformed. Let's give all praise and glory to Jesus together!

Many blessings. Thank you for your love and support.

Because He Lives,
Robin and Family ♥

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

Psalm 19:14

Church, Where Are You?

I just have to share this.

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other,

and the LORD listened and heard.

A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD

and honored his name.

“On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty,

“they will be my treasured possession.

I will spare them, just as a father has compassion

and spares his son who serves him.

And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,

between those who serve God and those who do not. "

Malachi 3:16-18

Relentless Love

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,

but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Romans 8:5

This is my heart.

This blog is a refection of my heart.

I find it difficult to be transparent at times. Especially when I’m not even sure how to explain the condition and state my heart is in. I have sat down several times to write and nothing came easy. However, so much is stirring and sifting that I have no choice but to write.

And so, I will.

The last month or so has been amazing. It has been emotional. It has been scary. It has been precious. So many highs and so many lows. Sweet priceless times with the Lord and other times; total confusion and frustration.

I can’t help but ask the Lord, “What is this..?” “What does all this mean…?”

I am speaking of the absolute and total longing to love the orphan, feed the hungry child, clothe the cold toddler, hug the crying teenager and rock the sick baby all in the beautiful name of Jesus!

It’s completely overwhelming and has overpowered me as a person.

I don’t even have a category to put “it” in.

I’m not even sure I can.

I think that is OK.

I don’t even know if anyone understands what I am talking about.

It’s almost pointless to try to explain it because people just stare at me with a blank stare.

I think that is normal, I guess.

I certainly do not blame them.

I mean, how many people do you meet today; married with 3 young children that are bleeding for the opportunity to leave everything they know, sell it all, move to Africa and see what the Lord has?

I don’t say that with any pat-on-the-back mentality whatsoever. I am serious.

You just don’t hear that too often these days.

So why me? Why us?

We’re waiting…

My  heart is totally turned inside out.

There are some nights I do not sleep.

There are nights that I find myself sitting on the couch using my sweet dogs head as a weeping pillow, wiping my tears with his ears, literally. I am undone. I am not the same. I will never be the same person again. There is a sense of urgency inside of me that makes me crazy at times. What does it all mean?

That is the million dollar question.

So I wait.

So WE wait.

Daily I ask myself really hard questions, like, “Are you seeking any personal gain from this… is there something in this that is “romantic” to you that makes you live in a fairytale world… am I seeking recognition from people… are you weighing the cost or are you blind…”

These are a few of the questions I ask constantly.

I have to be honest… this is my thought pattern:

“They need to know Jesus.

These children need to be loved.

They need to know they are not forgotten, they are not worthless.

There is a purpose for their life.

Jesus loves these children and we need to share Christ with them.

We need to rescue them from child trafficking, prostitution, war!”

I really do not find “me” in any of my responses to these questions I ask.

(Oh Lord, I beg, if this is ever about me, for one second, would you take it from me, remove it, crush it, kill it. It simply can not be about me.)

They need us and we need them.

I’ve asked the Lord to speak wisdom to me. I understand that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Psalm 111:10) Well I am definitely walking in Holy fear of the Lord now more so than ever. But I ask Him to give me understanding of this desire. Help me make sense of that which is transpiring in my heart.

I am excited to know that He hears my every prayer and knows the cry of my heart. He has gathered every tear I have shed and He holds them in His hand. They are not waisted. They are not forgotten.

I do believe that He has given me this love, this heart and this fire.

And I also know that I have no choice but to wait and see what this all means.

Here is a cool story.

Chris and I were invited to Colorado Springs to attend an “EXPECT” conference with some of the most anointed speakers of today, in my personal opinion.  The speakers were Jim Cymbala, Nicky Cruz, Carter Conlon, Gary Wilkerson just to name a few. It was one of the most amazing times in my Christian walk. The power of the Holy Spirit that fell upon those men was utterly indescribable. There really are no words to portray what happened in that place. The group of people we went with had never experienced anything of this nature before either. (Just a side note: God in His great mercy and love has healed His people, united His people and is moving BIG TIME in the hearts of this amazing group of people from Petaluma. God is SO HUGE!)

The cool nugget the Lord gave to both my husband and I during this conference was a sweet, powerful and direct word from the Lord from a complete stranger.

Basically, this man Bob, told us that the Lord had a plan for us. He didn't say anything else except that he believed the Lord had something very special in store for Chris and I.

I was absolutely dumbfounded.

I was able to sit with Bob for a while the next day and he told me directly, “The Lord has something very special for you and your husband and you need to wait on Him. You need to be patient because what the Lord has for you, He will show you soon.”

OK! That’s pretty exciting.
This man, Bob did not know us from Adam.

We had never met.

He had no idea of the passion and desire that is burning in both my husbands heart and mine.

But in the midst of his tears, he had a word for us straight from the Lord.

Now, to me, that’s a cool story and I'll take it!

Since then, he has written to us and we have written back. He is praying for us and we are incredibly blessed by this man and his wife. God is so gracious. He is so tender. He is so flawless.

I marvel at His great love for this wretched little sinner that I am.

and so we wait...

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Romans 8:24-25