Aslan is on the move...

As a college student taking a children's literature class, I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for the first time. At that time, I missed the parallels to Biblical truth that this story so beautifully demonstrates. Now, years later as a Christian mom who has read the book aloud several times, heard my husband reading the book several times, seen the play and the beautiful movie, I have grown to love the series. 

I love Aslan the lion, who like our God, is there for us - behind the scenes, loving and self-sacrificing, scary and yet comforting in a world of uncertainty and sometimes, tragedy. I love His strong voice and fair justice. I love that He brings Spring and life and excitement as his followers whisper "Aslan is on the move."

Well, Aslan is on the move here. He is moving in my church, in my home, and in my heart. I can feel the Lord gently waiting and watching with his strength, truth, and power. HE is moving and I am waiting to hear how He wants us to move.

Years ago...ah, maybe about 8 or so, my husband and I had an overwhelming feeling that the Lord was  calling us to do something big for Him. We would sit at night after exhausting days of work and homeschooling our four kids, carpooling, church meetings and busy-ness and talk about how we both just had this feeling as tho' we were meant to do more yet didn't know what.

We never knew beyond that until 3+ years ago when it became increasingly clear that adoption was what we were to do. We knew we needed to be giving of ourselves so much more, sacrificing so much more, and furthering the kingdom of God in a much bigger way than just raising our four children and attending church dutifully. 

I do remember thinking, as we lived through these last three years -  during the adoption process (those of you who have adopted know what a trying time that is as you jump through endless hoops, pay huge amounts of money without guarantees, and love and pray for the little faces of children only known to your heart), and the last two years of losing the "old" family and embracing and figuring out the "new" family -  that even this process might actually be what God wanted for us to do to impact His kingdom. (Did I really just write that long run-on sentence??? Yikes...sorry, but not going to change it!). As we struggled along in our home, was God getting any glory? Was the kingdom affected in any positive way when so many days I was grumpy or wiped out from trying, or sad that we had destroyed the beautiful family "thing" we already had going?  Had our jumping-off-the-cliff-in-faith move (the adoption), been the gift to God that we had wanted it to be when we were not being the parents we wished were were, not always loving unconditionally, complaining and sad?

I realize now as I look back on the struggles of the last two years since the girls have been home, that adoption doesn't just impact the children who have finally found their forever families and the families that take them in. My girls' adoption has inspired others to adopt, to turn their hearts to the orphan, to become aware of the needs of Africa, to accept and love a child of color (sad, I know, but this is still something that many haven't mastered), and perhaps most importantly - to consider that Aslan is on the move. To consider that God is real and moving and life changing. That He can do miraculous things through His people  (even the average and broken ones like us!) when we are listening, watching for Him to "be on the move" and obedient to His stirrings in our hearts.

The last two years have changed me in ways that are too many to count. I have been broken by my need for a savior on a moment by moment basis sometimes.  I have tried to share my struggles and be transparent with my burdens and difficulties, as well as our joys and triumphs of the last two years. It has certainly not been easy. It is hard to be a family who is so "noticeable" and "on display" at times. However, I realize that I have daily been offered an opportunity to share about what the Lord is able to do - How I lean on Him and need Him and how it is ONLY through Him that we are making it. He gets the credit and He has given me a huge way to affect His kingdom through our "ministry" of adoption.

Our hearts are being stirred again.  He is calling for something big again. John and I are feeling it. We are getting comfortable and God is asking us again to step out in some big way. We are praying for His leading and guidance and we know He will give it. Just haven't heard it yet. But when we do we will obey.

Is He stirring in your heart?  

Aslan is on the move....