Our Lives, A Living Sacrifice (guest post)

Hi friends and family of Allison!! I am Stephanie over at Sons & Daughters. I was very excited when Al asked me to write a guest post this week for her blog while their family is in Uganda! We miss them dearly but through the times I have gotten to chat with her it is so clear they are in the center of God's will, and though difficult at times they will come back having grown so much, and experienced the wonders and grace of our God!! Can't wait to see you sweet friend ;)

Our family is also in the process of adopting from Uganda at the "Loving Hearts Babies Home" and right now are #10 on the waiting list! Its such an overwhelming and exciting feeling to know that Lord willing this year we will be packing up and bringing home our little boy! We can't wait for him to live life with us, and forever be a part of this crazy fun loving family! 

I have a close friend who is filled with such spiritual wisdom it would be easy for me, and my pleasure to  sit and talk with her all day! Recently, while chatting about adoption she shared this beautiful picture of it and how it sanctifies those who walk through it.  
 

With our little boy Isaiah, or with Mike and Allison's son Amos God the Father had already set them apart to be with us. In advance he chose those boys to be ours. Yet when they come home to this new house, new voices, new scents, new food, pretty much new everything it is a learning and growing process for not only the child but everyone involved. That child will slowly learn to (in the barkers case for Amos) talk like a barker, act like a barker, love like a barker, live like a barker! Can you see where this is going?? ;)
 

In the same way God in advance chose you and I to be adopted into His family and share in His inheritance ! We have a lot of work that needs to be done in us and Christ is faithful not to leave us to sort out our mess. Over time through the taking in and savoring of his Word, communion and fellowship with our risen Savior our lives begin to change and look differently (or at least they should) and things we used to desire and feel we couldn't live without don't seem important or even necessary. That's the work of the Holy Spirit!!!
Continue to press in deeper and deeper to that and you will begin to talk like Christ, act like Christ, love like Christ, and live like Christ! Your life will be a sweet fragrance to those you come across. 

Turning corners a little bit I would like to leave you with something from Ephesians 1 i read the other day.   

Ephesian 1:18-19 says "having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness toward us who believe according to the working of His great might."  

My prayer right now is that my eyes would daily be enlightened to his magnificent love and power towards me and all who belong to him. That redemption, adoption, my inheritance, the sealing over my life given by the Holy Spirit will wash over me anew. May these truths humble and stir rapidly in and through me! You and I have been called to something so great and glorious and we have his immeasurable greatness going before us, working on our behalf and I do want at the end of my life to know that I only gave 20%, 50%, whatever it might be. He truly is worthy and deserving of our all. And I  hope I can have the attitude that in what I do for his kingdom is not just a duty but my privlige and delight

Well that's all! I hope to do one more post this week :) Have a great Tuesday and the days following! 

Glory be to the One True God