HOLY SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
I often receive God’s messages through a song. I’ll awaken with a little tune in my spirit and find myself humming it as I start my day. Little by little I become more aware of the tune and begin to dig out the words. “What is God trying to speak to me?”
The day’s song was the Momma’s and the Papa’s 1968 version of “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” This song wove through my day as I watched an interview of a woman’s decision to adopt, and another who decided to foster. When I went to church I met a single woman who was deciding to foster. Below I share how God pieced a message together through interactions and His faithful Holy Spirit. Step by step He leads us.
I watched an interview of Amy Coney Barrett as she explained her family dynamics. She was pregnant with her fifth 5 and received a call from Haiti asking her to take a little boy that needed a home due to difficulties in his nation.
Amy put on her warm coat and took a walk in the cold winter, stopping to sit on a bench to discuss this idea with God. She had this thought – “Well God, life is hard and there is nothing better to spend my life on than raising children.” It deeply impacted me as I thought of this very accomplished woman, supreme court nominee, magna cum Laude from Notre Dame, wife and mother of seven. Wow, now that’s a liberated woman. One we would all be happy to emulate.
The words, “life is hard, and there is nothing better to spend my life on than raising children“ just rang so true. That is a mother’s heart. That is my heart. Maybe that’s your heart.
I also watched an interview of a young woman who decided to lay down her calling as a worship leader and became a foster mother. She was on a Zoom call talking about placing our Idols of calling on the alter to God and taking up His heart cry. For her that was fostering children.
This was all unfolding in me as I walked into church. A woman walked up to me and recognized me from an event we had both attended a year ago (Really, with a mask on too).
Long story short, she had wanted to adopt a child most of her life. She went to China as a missionary, then on to Hong Kong, no adoption. She realized she needed more stability so changed careers, became a teacher, picked up a second language to be bilingual and most recently purchased a two-bedroom condo and completed a foster care program to start the process. And she was a single woman. All these people are NOT in ideal situations, but trusting. I was beginning to see a pattern. Now I was getting it. In this season of Esthers and Deborahs many of us are being prepared and repurposed to fulfill our hearts desire (our Dreams).
With the probable end of abortion in America there will be more children to give homes to. And God is raising up “mothers in Israel” (Judges 5:7)
Esther was an orphan raised by her uncle and sovereignly prepared to become queen of a foreign nation, and at the right time, a spokeswoman for her people, the Jews. Perhaps this is a time you’ve been waiting for, to take the honorable place of raising children? Even again.
God is calling many of you, and your partners, to assist in the foster care and adoption of HIS children across our nation. Note: Mordecai- Esther 2:15. Shamgar-Judges 5:6. Barak- Judges 4:8-9
If you will dream with Him and ask He will make it happen. You will become the Mommas and Papas to dream with God for a generation. I believe communities of folks fostering and adopting kids will grow up and a new culture of life will bring rich rewards for those who hear this call.
Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers [or mothers]. 1 Corinthians 4:15
Pam Johnson
PUTTING DOWN TUCKER
Pam just learned dear friends were needing to put down their dog. The husband was out digging the grave as we talked. Our hearts went out immediately. This family is dear to us, and the dog is precious to them. It is a grace-filled animal with a sweet disposition, a companion willing to befriend all.
It made me remember putting down our grey schnauzer, Tucker. I called Tucker the Super Wonder Dog. He was a gentleman considerate of others, willing to obey and eager to please.
He could be relaxed and laid back or go into hyper-energetic mode. He would respond to sit, stay, come, up, down, roll over and more. He loved to play soccer with the kids. They would kick the ball to him and he would run it back to them pushing it with his nose.
When Tucker was about 8 years we got another schnauzer, this time black. Jack was a rascal of a dog always pushing the limits. In fun, I called Tucker the good dog and Jack “the other dog.” We loved them both. Tucker did his best to educate Jack but Jack always liked to bend the rules. Still, Tucker’s modeling sunk in.
Tucker had few flaws. For fun, now and then, he liked to flush the chickens. Still, he was near perfect as a composed lap dog or an excited run-about friend. We had plenty of experiences with him moving from Washington, then Tennessee and then Texas.
When Tucker was 12 he started to get sick. His energy flagged, his motivation dropped. He had a cancer. We prayed for our friend, cuddled and pet him, but his health deteriorated. He did not complain but was patient as always. It was obvious he was in his last days, at most he had a handful left.
It was evening but I knew we couldn’t wait longer. I took my rifle, turned on the porch light, and carried him to the back yard. I sat him down and he stood wobbly between my feet. I said, “Tucker, stand still.” He obediently responded. I shot him in the head. He fell still, but to my amazement his tail wagged vigorously, quicker than I have ever seen before. It lasted a couple seconds and he was gone.
The next morning, we dug a place for him in the back pasture. I cried watching Old Yeller. I did the same with Tucker. There were some lonely days afterwards. Then four days later I had a dream. God graced us with it to bring a beautiful closure. I paste it from my dream file below.
12/12/2016 DOGS GO TO HEAVEN
I was walking along a country road where there had been rain. Water was running swiftly on the side of the road in the ditch and culverts. I looked and saw our dog Tucker running very rapidly back and forth in the field. He was much quicker than he had been in real life. He ran like lightning as if he could never be tired. I called out, “Go, Tucker, go!” At one point I saw Tucker was thirsty and standing in the water. As he began to drink I called out, “Drink, Tucker, drink!”
I called Tucker to me and he ran to my side. I gave him a couple pats, then he zipped off again. I could tell he was having a blast!
REFLECTIONS: Tucker was sick and I put him down four days ago. We were sad, missing him. This was an encouragement and a reminder. “Dogs do go to heaven.” We should drink deeply of the living waters, Like Tucker!
ELECTION MIRACLES!
10,000 rose from the dead in Michigan to cast their ballots! Just imagine how many were raised in the other 49 states. You wonder who they voted for.
Amazing/appalling accounts of voting “irregularities” are coming out. Pam and I have been seriously imploring God in prayer for Revelation and the “HIGHEST COURT’S” justice! We are praying that everything will be revealed in Light! For the sake of future generations of voters we must be assured this election has true integrity.
GOING BACK TO PENNSYLVANIA WITH THOMAS PAINE
Once again, we are taking a cold, hungry, exhausting stand in Pennsylvania. But what is the alternative? As Washington’s troops shivered at Valley Forge they knew the weight of Paine’s words.
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated”
A PRAYER FOR THE WICKED MEDIA
God’s justice is coming to the god-like thrones of the media.“May ruin overtake them by surprise– may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.” Ps 35:8. Read Zech 5:1-4 to discover what happens to the thieving, lying media!
A TITAL WAVE OF JUSTICE
Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.Ps 98:13
FIRE IN A BOX
The most amazing invention to me is the internal combustion engine. What benefits the world has enjoyed by capturing fire in a box! We Christians sometimes have “FIRE” but how few have made productive energy with “IT.”
Steve and Pam Johnson
