Its been a while! 🙂 Sometimes in life, there are worthier things that take priority over my words in a blog. The past 6 months were filled with just that…a worthier thing. I was part of a team (along with the fantabulous Ashley Wells (founder) and Katy Adams) who worked to bring a foster and adoptive moms retreat to the Louisville, KY area. We named it Together in the Trenches because with that name…you already know things are going to get real. We wanted a place for ladies to come and just BE. BE loved. BE understood without explanation. BE with God our Father. BE with friends. Just. BE.
I could write on and on about God’s faithfulness throughout the preparation for the retreat and the retreat itself. How there was an atmosphere that only God could create that I believe stemmed from the fact that there were 86 women gathered together in both welcomed transparency and safety. That’s a rare thing. It takes each woman being on the same page. 86 women (and what spectacular women they all are!). Same page. Same mission with some different methods. We experienced UNITY in a world that doesn’t possess a whole lot of it.
But for this post, I particularly want to share what I wrote for our break out session at the retreat. I hope it will be an encouragement to you that this life … with all its twists and turns, its ups and downs, its joys and disappointments, its points of clarity and points of confusion, … is RIGHT WHERE GOD STANDS WITH US FOR THE GOOD OF HIS CHILDREN.
SENT to the TRENCHES
So we are here talking about rest. Taking time. Allowing our souls to bathe in the love of God our Father. Our speaker, worship, pampering sessions, gorgeous setting, new and old friends… these are all things God has used to minister to our bodies and souls as we serve Him and parent children who HE loves.
When we return home in a few hours, there is an even deeper rest to be found. Daily. We hope you have experienced it here.
It is the fulfillment of our offerings to you.
It is the fulfillment of our fellowship with each other.
It is life in Jesus.
Matthew 16:25 says: “whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.”
Do you ever feel stuck in the middle of this verse? “I gave my life, God. Its yours. I lost it for you. I’m just accepting that this is my place in life. I’m serving You and your children, God… and its hard but I just HAVE to keep trudging on in the trenches. I took up my cross. (Matthew 16:24)” That’s what good Christians do, right? That’s what all those verses about endurance and perseverance mean, right??
Do we forget the END of the verse?
We AREN’T just trudging through the trench knowing we have chosen to lose our lives
…we have FOUND life!
We aren’t embattled in the TRENCHES to fear!
We are sent to the TRENCHES to thrive!
We serve our fellow soldiers,
free captives and
glory in a victory already won!
In this FOUND life, He gives PEACE in the midst of the reality of war:
John 14:27
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift
the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.
There is a peace that is beyond pampering.
There is camaraderie beyond fellowship with girls who get it.
There is a kind of rest reserved for those believing in the Messiah.
He KNOWS that if we try to hold on to what our flesh THINKS will rejuvenate us…
Ease.
Absence of opposition.
Cake walk parenting.
Recognition from people.
Respect from our children.
A “put together” life.
Did we mention EASE?
…we will be overcome with enemy fire.
We will step in every landmine.
He knows that if we crave these things, we will be a SLAVE to these things!
This world woos us with dead end “promises” that lead to despair. Especially our context in the U.S. Ease of life and entertainment are our gods. We are told that we deserve these things … and more! Children are being increasingly looked at as burdens…not beloved blessings worthy of great battles!
We know better.
He has shown us how to FIND LIFE by His Spirit. He has shown us by His example. We are in the trenches to demonstrate WHO HE IS! To treat the wounds of those He LOVES. To examine ourselves by GIVING FULLY to those who have nothing to offer in return.
OUR LIVES?
They are FOUND lives.
Not only that. They are EQUIPPED lives. We aren’t engaging the enemy without resources!
Let’s look at some REAL promises He gives to us as
His representatives:
Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare,
‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,
because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and
I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
Wow.
Ladies.
The work we are doing is set apart for us by Jesus Himself! Earlier in this passage Jesus was telling the disciples that they HAVE SEEN THE FATHER because they have SEEN HIM. Then He takes it one step further and says WE can represent Him in the same way! Through His Spirit, we can continue doing His works. Even MORE works than HE could do in His time in bodily form on earth.
This trench living? We’re an extension of HIM so He will LAVISH his resources upon us.
He gives us Rest. He created it.
He gives us Wisdom. He defines it.
He gives us Power. He embodies it.
He gives us Hope. He fulfills it.
He gives us Endurance. He never grows weary.
He gives us Love. He IS love.
He gives us everything to preserve and fulfill our lives in every skirmish
plus the faith to see the ultimate outcome.
“May you experience the love of Christ,
though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
We at Together in the Trenches hope you go home not just rested…but reminded of His LOVE for you. Reminded that He EMPOWERS you in a way this world can’t understand!
There is NO ONE more EQUIPPED in the entire world than YOU and ME – HIS CHURCH –to live as his hands and feet in a battle-weary land.
We haven’t been left in the field alone. We are found in Him! “Trench on” because we have no idea when He has ordained for this war to end.
He loves you.
We thank you and honor you.
The hundreds of children represented here have access to Jesus because of you!
The Adoption Cottage 
Beautiful, amazing, glorious, life giving truth! Love you Becky!
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