For Such a Time as This

Thanksgiving....what a wonderful time! I was so refreshed to go home and spend some quality time with my family. I needed this more than I even knew. Being a huggy person, I have not had my fix of close proximity with many people since everyone here is still somewhat new. So, I made sure to fill up at home with lots and lots of hugs and kisses! Lexie Lou helped me out with this, too:

So that is my Lexie...precious huh? :) Anyways, I also got to see my little nephew who is now ALL over the place!! He is hilarious and so much fun! I had to keep reminding myself that I will be back in a few weeks, otherwise I would have had a much more difficult time saying good-bye to this little one.





I also went out shopping on Black Friday for about 9 hours...but not super early. It was a relaxing day of shopping with the fam. The rest of my break was spent on the couch with my family watching the Cavs or falling asleep during a movie. It could not have been more perfect! Here is a picture of how cute we all looked in our Cavs gear:



So as I was preparing to go home and while I was there, I could not help but think of my nineteen little kiddos that would be celebrating differently. It hit me so hard that I was escaping back to a family that loves me unconditionally and that is SO blessed and full of love. My kids don't have this no matter what day it is. While I was at home, I showed my family my kids' pictures and told each of their stories as I know them. Telling them about each kid, I finally just broke. Something about seeing repeatedly the brokenness that almost each one experiences was too much for me. I knew that most of them had difficult lives, but telling them all at one time was so hard. There are about four kids of mine that MAY live with both of their parents....that doesn't mean that they are in a good situation. The comforting part was being able to show my family their faces and know that they will now be specifically prayed for. As sad as I was, it also made me even more determined to be the light and hope that these kids so desperately need and some are craving. I know that God is up to something!

Tonight I decided to read from Esther...one of my favorite books of the Bible. I did a study on this book last spring and really got a lot out of it, so I figured I would look at some of the key passages. I turned to chapter 4 where Mordecai is telling Esther that she needs to plead to the king for her people. Esther's message is...are you kidding??? I could die by going unannounced into his presence. I mean...he hasn't even wanted to see me in 30 days! Mordecai responds to her in verse 14, "For if YOU remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but YOU and YOUR father's family will perish. And who knows but that YOU have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Ok...so I'm not royalty...

But this passage really spoke to me because if Esther did not speak for her people, she would be destroyed. She had to be selfless and come to the place where she saw the big picture...others' lives. She was an orphan girl brought up by Mordecai, her cousin. EVERYTHING played out perfect in order for her to become the queen because the Lord wanted her there and had a purpose for little Hadassah. This was her time...God had brought her there for a reason, and she needed to stop thinking and start acting!

I am sometimes so overwhelmed with the daily behavior issues that I can quickly get wrapped up in discouragement and not see the big picture...that the Lord has brought me here for this time. My aunt told my mom today that God must have a purpose for me being here because He has taken me all around the world but out of all of the places, He has planted me in War, WV.

Please pray that I can be like Esther, selfless. I want to love passionately and with my whole being.