Why should the church adopt? July 9, 2009

Did you know…..

90% of children in the foster care systems end up on the streets and often in human trafficking?

If every Bible-believing church in America adopted only 3 children, that the need for a government-run foster care system would be almost completely wiped out?

Something must be done.  Kyle and I have been hearing the Holy Spirit whisper adoption for a while now, but after we heard these numbers, the whisper grew to a scream and we are currently preparing our home to receive a little one.  A child’s case has not been brought to us at this time, but we are in the season of getting through all of the paperwork and we hope to be able to take in an infant as soon as the fall.  It’s exciting.  It’s terrifying.  It’s probably one of the most adventurous things Kyle and I have done- but our hearts are too broken to just sit by and watch the next generation be fatherless.

Deuteronomy 10:18, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”

Isaiah 1:17 ,” Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.  Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Romans 8: 15- 17, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Malachi 4: 5-6, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

***important note*** Not everybody will be called to physically adopt a child, but we must pray for a church that will welcome in the fatherless.  Even if you are not specifically called to adopt, I want to encourage you to support those families who are, by lots of prayer, practical support, and finances when needed.

These are some people who are currently walking out an adoption calling:

http://www.randyandkelsey.com

http://randybohlender.wordpress.com

http://louxfamilyblog.com

A day in the life… July 9, 2009

What does the life of an intercessory missionary look like?  It’s probably not too much different from yours other than the fact that we are daily desiring to center our life around the prayer room.

7am- Phinehas gets up.  He eats breakfast while Kyle and I slowly wake up and see how the other one is doing.

8am- Nagys are up and getting ready for the day.

9am- Kyle is off to another day in the Business Office at IHOP and Michelle is getting the baby ready to go to the prayer room.

9:30-12:30- Michelle and Phinehas in the prayer room

12:30-1pm- Nagys all have lunch together.  This is our only family meal at the moment, and it’s very important to us!

1pm- Phinehas is down for his afternoon nap

1-4pm- Michelle does “missionary housewifey things,” clean, cook, laundry, support raising, blogging,…and if it’s been a tiring week, she sneaks in a nap, too!

4:15pm- Phinehas awakens from his nap and needs a snack.  Michelle gets ready for an evening at Starbucks.

4:30pm- Michelle drops off Phinehas at Kyle’s office for a bit.  Phinehas usually looks around or gets to play a little bit with the many ladies in the office that are enamored with him.  This is often their favorite part of the day.  We are grateful for a kid-friendly office!

4:40pm- Michelle drives to work and eats dinner as she goes.

5pm- Kyle is done with work and heads home with baby for dinner.  Meanwhile, Michelle is at work and is clocking in for another evening of making lattes.

6-8pm- Kyle works on various things: cleaning the house, meeting with clients, working on bookkeeping.

8pm- Kyle heads to the prayer room with the baby.

10pm- Kyle is home from the prayer room, the baby goes down for the night and Kyle relaxes.

11pm- Michelle is home from work and she and Kyle recount the day.

12am- To bed we go; the next day is only 7 hours away!

A new breed of Americans July 5, 2009

Yesterday was the 4th of July…

…and unlike most Americans, instead of grilling, going to a fireworks show, or parade, I spent most of my day working at good ol’ Starbucks.  And last year, I also spent my day working, as did Kyle.

Although the nature of any food service job is to work on holidays, I was glad to work.  Working is healthy and I believe that if the church in the United States is ever going to move in the books of Acts type of power, (healing the sick, raising the dead, powerful preaching that causes revival, etc..) we need to shake ourselves of this “9-5, Monday through Friday, and then chill out to the tube or a movie” lifestyle.

Additionally, because I chose to do a 12-week internship with the International House of Prayer from the beginning of April to the end of June, we had a full day on Sunday that included service hours, three teachings, and prayer room time.  So that means that for Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day,  the only way I was able to spend time with my family for these holidays is by taking one of five personal days.

Towards the end of the internship, I was out of personal days.  I realized how much value I placed into holidays and relaxing when I felt the cry of my flesh saying, “but I’m a mom!  I want to be pampered and relax on Mother’s Day!  I deserve this!“  But in all honesty, I signed up for this internship, and I needed to stay true to my commitment.  It wasn’t about me, and I needed to die to myself.  Was it hard?  Absolutely!  But IHOP is wanting me (and everybody on the base) to change their paradigm from a 40 hour work week and then rest is play (the rest being 128 hours!) The overall church in America feeds right into this mindset, and it must be broken.

It is killing us, really.  Instead of feeding our spirit on the Word, and working with our hands, we settle for a life in God that is mediocre so that we can have an excellent leisurely lifestyle.  While our flesh thrives and gets every need that it demands, our spirit that dwells on the inside is faint for lack of living water.  Do you see the dilmea?

Now don’t get me wrong, having time throughout the week to unwind and relax is healthy, I just think that the church in the U.S. has an unhealthy balance of work vs. leisure.  Think about it: Imagine the typical youth group.  If you have a free pizza night with games and a movie, everybody is there.  The pizza runs out quickly.  People stay out late and everybody enjoys themselves.  But if you call for a prayer meeting, outreach, missions trip…all of a sudden people are too busy, they need to study, they have other commitments.  Am I making any sense?

I encourage you all to take Matthew 5,6 and 7 and read it daily for a month.  This is Jesus’ plan for how the church needs to walk out being the church. A change needs to occur in this land, but first we must die to self.