Solitude

How do you run for 3 hours without headphones and the musical comfort they bring?

You run with a friend.

This relationship thing, this is what He keeps bringing me back to. 

I am one of those who enjoys my quiet moments.  My most cherished memories of childhood are sitting alone outside, reading, watching the sky, dreaming.  My favorite time of day is the early dawn, sitting on my deck, praising Him.  Even when dating, the Warrior Daddy and I find our favorite moments are spent on the back porch, with coffee, and just the company of the other.

Solitude has been my closest friend for so long. 

Solitude is safe.

Yet, too much solitude does leave me thirsting...for adventure.

He has drawn close, and blessed this family with so many good, good gifts.  A roof over our heads, a bounty of bread, bedrooms full of children (Ps. 113:9).  All such precious, cherished grace.  And my story is not the typical.  My story is blanketed with His glory. 

I have watched in awe as He has transformed a medically fragile one into a strong man-child. 

I have listened with tears streaming as the little girl who smiled silent for so long sang her first song. 

I rode the roller coaster of faith as He placed in my heart the dream of twins, and reached His hand right down, rescued and delivered them right into my arms.

I can stand up in private and yell when I experience His grace kiss, and I'm confident He hears my shout (Psalm 55:16-17), but His glory is not something to bottle up and keep all to myself.

His glory cannot be contained. 

He calls me to proclaim, to share His greatness, His wonderful mercy with boldness. (Psalm 113:1-3)
  
One grace kiss after another, this is my family's beautifully written story.  And I imagine, your family's story as well.  Because that is what adoption brings to a family's life.  The touch of His love, His great presence delivering presents over and over again.  Through all the hard, the Light glows brightly behind, daring to shine through and reveal His mercy.

"God sets the solitary in families,

He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;

But the rebellious dwell in a dry land." 

Psalm 68:6 (NKJV Bible)

 

He set the lonely, the solitary, in our homes, creating a family, creating relationship.  He calls those who prefer solitude to step up, take the risk of relationship.  And the adventure begins, unsafe, but held in His glorious hands.

And my life is so much the better for it, because with each relationship risk I take, He reveals another wonderful trait of Himself.  He is transforming me through this relationship adventure.

And, may I boldly say, He is transforming me through praying for you, another momma in an adventure.  Another momma willing to share relationship with me, and a praying family of cheerers, witnessing His glory.

And all this relationship is the mercy rain He pours down on my dry, lonely land.  The rebellious solitary is beginning to believe in the prosperity of relationship.

 

  My grace kiss this week, starting a run under a glorious painted blue and cloud scraped sky, and finishing under His bright shining stars - with a friend.