This blog was so graciously written by Niki Kredit, a long time volunteer and friend of Katelyn’s Fund!
Psalm 23:1-3…….The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
In my experience, these sentences would go in a different order. It might go something like this…..
The Lord is my shepherd. He guides me along the right paths for his names sake. He leads me beside quiet waters, He makes me lie down in green pastures, He refreshes my soul. I lack nothing.
When we were called to adoption, it was within the space of being led and guided and directed on a faith journey with the Lord, much like a shepherd herds his sheep. We were prayerful and we did our research and we asked good questions but ultimately we knew that we were following the invitation and request given to us by God Almighty. We knew when we began our journey that it would be full of unknowns and there was no promise of a “happy ever after” but we were on God’s path and doing it for Jesus’ sake.
When we were stressed out, worried about the finances, afraid for the impact on our marriage and family as we waited for our child, He led us beside quiet waters. He showed us the peace that is beyond words or understanding, and gave us the Blessed Assurance that He was in control and we were being obedient to His call. We began to know the amazing and unexplainable quiet waters that only God can lead us to because we follow His path. These quiet waters showed up in many different ways. Sometimes it was a meaningful verse of scripture, or a donation we did not expect. Sometimes it was a dream or a song or simply feeling the approval of the Lord….which is definitely best described as quiet waters. If you want to experience quiet waters, then ask the Lord what He wants from your life.
He makes me lie down in green pastures speaks to me in the rhythm of the seasons…..As Winter yields to spring and then to summer and then to Fall, His promise is there…..always seasons changing but always beautiful and reverent and within His power to create and change and author and sign with his artistic flare….When He has made me lie down in green pastures, He has reminded me that He knows the future, He knows the season we are in and He knows what is coming. We do not need to worry or wonder what is coming next…..but rather, lie down in the green pasture where He led us to be nourished and cared for…..and in the journey of adoption that green pasture is so valuable.
He refreshes my soul…..and when we adopted our first child, I was refreshed by the village that cared for us, by the love we felt for our child, by the fulfillment of all God had promised to provide for our need. The adoption costs were paid in full through donations and tax credit and extra, unexpected blessings. When my soul cried out and asked why He had led us to this hard thing, He offered refreshment as only God can…..through the community of believers and supporters and family and friends who loved us. Our lives became more complicated and busy and we began to understand the weight of it all, and the longevity of the yes, but we also knew we were not walking through the path alone. We had our village and we had Him, the Author and perfector of our faith.
Therefore…..
We lacked nothing. Ok, maybe we did lack some sleep, and some time spent with our other kids, and some money in the bank to do fun trips or buy new stuff…..but when we woke up each day to see our child and know her path and her destiny were lined up with God’s because He found a way to make it happen, we could smile at her and at eachother and say….I have what I need. I have the Shephard, I have the path, I know how to refresh my soul. I have the green pasture, I have the quiet water, and I lack no other thing.
Psalm 23:1-3…..rewritten but ultimately understood.
