Yesterday I spent some time away with the Lord. I needed to slow down, be still, and connect with Him in a really big way. I carved out half a day to do so and gathered my bible, my journal, my ink pen and some mints. I went to the local house of prayer and just listened to music, rested and then organized my thoughts. I had some things I wanted God to help me sort out. Were we still on track with this adoption? Was this still His will for us? Did he have any ideas regarding helping child #4 sleep, have peace, act out less? Etc. There were 4 or 5 things on the list. I began to read the bible, to journal, to pray and to listen and the Lord delighted in me. In me! He enjoyed my time and attention, he valued my inquiries, he affirmed me and he blessed me. He showed me that He created me for a purpose, but also to be in relationship with Him. He showed me that if I come to him, for counsel, for healing, for help and guidance he is ready and waiting. In my mind’s eye, He took my hand and wrote out his purposes for me, on the palm of my own hand. Then he took my hand and placed it to his own heart, so that my purposes were the same as his heart, they connected with his heart, and they belonged to his heart. Can you believe that?
God Almighty knows the purpose each of us were created to fulfil. He made each of us to be and do something specific to His plan….and he longs to share the list with us. There was more than one thing written on the palm of my hand. I get to make choices with my time every day, and hopefully, they include His purposes…..because I want to imagine my hand pressed to the heart of the Father every day.
Our children….those we parent and those we are praying and asking for…..also have purposes created by God. Maybe they don’t know them yet, or can’t read what is written on the palms of their own hands, by God himself. They need us to show them what God ordained for each of them to do. How will we know? We have to ask Him. It is His list to reveal to us….and we have to be quiet and open and willing to receive it. The moment we understand what God created us to do…..we get to feel our hands against His heart….
I hope with the help of the Holy Spirit, that I can begin to parent in a new way….I don’t want to just get through the mundane tasks of growing up kids….I want to help them understand their purposes, the plans God has for each of them. I want to help guide them to the moment when their hands touch the heart of the Father.
