"Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin. "
I love this hymn! It reminds me of the grace that God has poured out for me (a sinner)! "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:10 I love the story of Paul! How God took a man who persecuted His people and then used Him to proclaim His name to the nations! May God's grace on my life not be in vain. We are going through a study at church on 30 Life Principles (by Charles Stanley) and this week God did a work in me that really opened my eyes to my sinful ways. Our principle that we studied this week was: "You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow." (Judges 2:1-4) . Even though we covered verses in Judges and in Galations (6:7-8), the verse that really hit home was one that I hadn't studied this past week. It wasn't in our lesson, and I only read it while our lesson was being taught. on Sunday We read from Psalm 22 (verse 6), discussing the idea of (sowing) planting seeds in your children's lives and one day, prayerfully, being able to reap the blessings. In our case, this would be, raising our children in a Godly and loving home, to love the Lord their God, teaching them to care for the needy, train them to go into all the world and proclaim the message of Christ to the lost and then being blessed by knowing that our children are honoring God with their lives. But I went further down the chapter, verse 8 "Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail." My sinful ways,lack of faith for provision, had led me to not speak up for the injustice in the world. I don't know when that came about, to be honest I grew up in a house that spoke up for the injustice in the world, and for as long as I could remember I had strived to do the same. In the last couple months, however, something had changed. The idea that Trey's job might be on the line if I spoke up and said something, prevented me from doing just that. This week, I had the opportunity to feed, clothe, and share the love of Christ with a homeless woman (Lauren) who stands under a bridge near our home, frequently asking for money or food. God used that one situation, I believe this week, to get me back on the right track. The past couple of months, sitting silent , not standing up and speaking up for the dying of this world, was evidence of pure selfishness and disobedience.
The two children we have now, enjoy a refreshing glass of clean drinking water several times a day, but sadly I don't know that our next child does. Over 5,000 children a day, under the age of 5, die from the lack of clean drinking water. That doesn't even cover the children who are over the age of 5....how many are dying because we sit silent, how many are dying because we're not standing up, how many die because of our selfishness or lack of faith that God will provide when we are faithful to give. Now, it's not the Joel Osteen idea of "give all you have and God will give you more money back than you could have imagined", BUT give because it's commanded of you-of us as BELIEVERS, give because He will richly bless your life (maybe not with material things but with the reward of knowing that you live a life that is God honoring)!
My thoughts, I know, are random today. When God lays something on your heart to share, all you can do is share. I pray everyday for God to continue to work in me, mold me, shape me into what He wants me to be. May I (and may we) never grow complacent in our walk with God, but live a life that strives to be deeper in His word, that yearns to be closer walking with Him. May God use me to stop some of the injustice in this world, may God use our family to show the world how you can honor God in all that you do, and may my children, one day, know the love of Christ and proclaim it to all the nations...all my children, the ones I know and love now and the ones I will know and love one day (soon)!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High..." Psalm 92:1
This weekend was a special reminder of how thankful I am to the Lord for so many things in my life. First, I'm blessed beyond measure to have a Father who is full of grace and mercy. When I've fallen, He has been there to pick me up, when I'm unworthy, He still is there loving me everyday and every step of this journey called life. He is Comfortor, Sustainer, Grace, Mercy, Love! I love Him and adore Him! I'm thankful that He so blessed me with such a Godly earthy father who loves His people and who is a daily example of His love to all. He raised me according to God's Word and showed me God's love each and everyday. I'm so thankful to be able to call him (Craig Montroy) "dad". I'm also very grateful for the special man He brought into my life, that I now am blessed to call my husband and father to my children. Trey is my best friend and the love of my life and reminds me of God's everlasting love through His love and devotion to His Savior Jesus Christ. Hannah and Noelle are a reminder of God's love each and everyday...their innocence and yet hunger for the Word, already, is so exciting! I pray that they grow up to know and love the Lord with all their heart!(-Ashley)
We as a family are so thankful to God for the blessing of adoption. We are also thankful to Him for the many opportunities He's given us in the past few weeks to share about our adoption. I want to now and always make it clear to all that this journey would not be possible if not for Him! We give God all the glory!!!
Well, most of you probably wonder where we've been this past couple of weeks? Well, we are still here...the adoption process is long and there isn't always something to share on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis, but I thought I'd update you all on where we are to this day. We have just a couple of papers left to hand in to our social worker, FBI clearences, and medical forms to have filled out and looked over and then it is on to our last set of paperwork. Our home study looks to be completed by the 1st of August..woohoo!!!! Thanks to our exceptional social worker, Kelly Matherne, it has been a wonderful experience!! She has not only been there to file and fill out paperwork, but to encourage us along the way (checking email at all hours of the night to make sure we had things in on time and to also just see how we were/are doing). After the homestudy is complete, we will then file the first part of a government form that will allow us to bring a 'forgien' child into the country (the 2nd part will be filled out once we identify the child we'll be adopting). Then after that is checked over (approximently 6 weeks after it's mailed in) then we can go to Malawi to pick up our child. Please pray for those who are in Malawi looking for a child eligible for adoption (this means a child who has no living relatives, or whose living relatives agree that they can be adopted-this may be an aunt, grandmother, etc.)! We know that God is in control of all things, and He already knows the right child for us (and we are so thankful for that)! So, we are 1/2 way there, I'd like to think, but the adoption process can be unknown as far as timing goes...we just pray for patience!!!!
My next post will either be when our home study is done (and APPROVED) or when a child is identified, so please don't get discouraged if you don't see a new post for awhile. Just remember to pray for us, pray for our child, pray for our social worker, and pray for all who have/will have a hand in this adoption!!! Thank you to all who are already praying for us daily, we def. feel your prayers!!! Thank you for the words of encouragement also, what a blessing they are to us during this time!!! Thank you, THANK YOU, to all who purchased a t-shirt...WOW what a blessing it was to have so many who gave in support of our adoption and who showed their love for us in a unique way!!! May your t-shirt tell a story everytime you wear it and spark a conversation about adoption that just may open the door to another family taking that next step towards starting their own 'journey' (I know our t-shirts have done just that for a couple families already)!!!!
We as a family are so thankful to God for the blessing of adoption. We are also thankful to Him for the many opportunities He's given us in the past few weeks to share about our adoption. I want to now and always make it clear to all that this journey would not be possible if not for Him! We give God all the glory!!!
Well, most of you probably wonder where we've been this past couple of weeks? Well, we are still here...the adoption process is long and there isn't always something to share on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis, but I thought I'd update you all on where we are to this day. We have just a couple of papers left to hand in to our social worker, FBI clearences, and medical forms to have filled out and looked over and then it is on to our last set of paperwork. Our home study looks to be completed by the 1st of August..woohoo!!!! Thanks to our exceptional social worker, Kelly Matherne, it has been a wonderful experience!! She has not only been there to file and fill out paperwork, but to encourage us along the way (checking email at all hours of the night to make sure we had things in on time and to also just see how we were/are doing). After the homestudy is complete, we will then file the first part of a government form that will allow us to bring a 'forgien' child into the country (the 2nd part will be filled out once we identify the child we'll be adopting). Then after that is checked over (approximently 6 weeks after it's mailed in) then we can go to Malawi to pick up our child. Please pray for those who are in Malawi looking for a child eligible for adoption (this means a child who has no living relatives, or whose living relatives agree that they can be adopted-this may be an aunt, grandmother, etc.)! We know that God is in control of all things, and He already knows the right child for us (and we are so thankful for that)! So, we are 1/2 way there, I'd like to think, but the adoption process can be unknown as far as timing goes...we just pray for patience!!!!
My next post will either be when our home study is done (and APPROVED) or when a child is identified, so please don't get discouraged if you don't see a new post for awhile. Just remember to pray for us, pray for our child, pray for our social worker, and pray for all who have/will have a hand in this adoption!!! Thank you to all who are already praying for us daily, we def. feel your prayers!!! Thank you for the words of encouragement also, what a blessing they are to us during this time!!! Thank you, THANK YOU, to all who purchased a t-shirt...WOW what a blessing it was to have so many who gave in support of our adoption and who showed their love for us in a unique way!!! May your t-shirt tell a story everytime you wear it and spark a conversation about adoption that just may open the door to another family taking that next step towards starting their own 'journey' (I know our t-shirts have done just that for a couple families already)!!!!
Monday, May 9, 2011
"Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!" Proverbs 31:29
I dedicate this blog to Mother's Day! (although later than I'd hoped)
Today is the day we set aside to celebrate mothers and all that it means to be a mother. Also, it's the day we celebrate the special gifts God has given to us, our children! As I look at life in a new perspective now than I did 4 years ago when I was not only not a mommy but not even married yet, to now, with my two beautiful little girls, there is a new found awe to the word "mom", "mother", "mommy", or as my sister likes to say "mumkins". What better blog to dedicate to my mother and some of the most beautiful Godly mothers I have known and loved in my 25 years of life than on our adoption blog. Motherhood, whether you are pregnant, already have your child/children with you to hold and tuck in at night (that's US), waiting and praying for your child/children whom you don't even know their name yet (that's US too), have children that are grown, or have grieved over the loss of one of your own...is still motherhood. It's still a bond, a special and unique bond between a mother and a child; if for a day a week, a year, or tens of years it's a blessing from God!
My mother, Susan Montroy, has always shown me, even from a very young age, what it means to be a Godly woman, mother, and wife. I know that I didn't always make it easy on her (especially my late teenage years) but she has helped me to grow in wisdom and in grace. I just love how Proverbs 31 talks about how a Godly woman, wife and mother should exemplify Christ. As I look back, my mother displayed those things to me and now I get to take what she has taught me and demonstrate it first hand to my children, to my husband, to God, and for our household.
Today is the day we set aside to celebrate mothers and all that it means to be a mother. Also, it's the day we celebrate the special gifts God has given to us, our children! As I look at life in a new perspective now than I did 4 years ago when I was not only not a mommy but not even married yet, to now, with my two beautiful little girls, there is a new found awe to the word "mom", "mother", "mommy", or as my sister likes to say "mumkins". What better blog to dedicate to my mother and some of the most beautiful Godly mothers I have known and loved in my 25 years of life than on our adoption blog. Motherhood, whether you are pregnant, already have your child/children with you to hold and tuck in at night (that's US), waiting and praying for your child/children whom you don't even know their name yet (that's US too), have children that are grown, or have grieved over the loss of one of your own...is still motherhood. It's still a bond, a special and unique bond between a mother and a child; if for a day a week, a year, or tens of years it's a blessing from God!
My mother, Susan Montroy, has always shown me, even from a very young age, what it means to be a Godly woman, mother, and wife. I know that I didn't always make it easy on her (especially my late teenage years) but she has helped me to grow in wisdom and in grace. I just love how Proverbs 31 talks about how a Godly woman, wife and mother should exemplify Christ. As I look back, my mother displayed those things to me and now I get to take what she has taught me and demonstrate it first hand to my children, to my husband, to God, and for our household.
'Mom, I love you so much and I'm so thankful for the relationship God has given us! You are not only my mother, but my best friend, my children's Nana, and a wonderful example to all who know you of what a Godly woman, wife, and mother should be! This day could only have been made better if I would've been able to celebrate you in person! I love you, Mom!'
I love you girls!'
'Hannah and Noelle, I'm so blessed to be your mommy. I look forward to what God will do in and through your lives, but I cherish all of the moments now as I know you are both a special gift from God! You make me laugh so much everyday, yet I'm left with tears in my eyes (tears of joy of course) and you keep me guessing! You make me want to be a better mommy day after day, to strive to continue to show you what a Godly mother is, and to tell you about Jesus' and His love for you!!! May you live according to Gods plan for your life and be an example to all of His love!!
I love you girls!''To our child who is in our hearts, as we still don't know anything about you yet...we wait patiently on the Lord and His timing to bring you home to us! We long for the day we travel to pick you up and bring you home to meet your two sisters and the rest of your family that already loves you and is praying for you!'
Lastly but not at all least, I celebrate all of the beautiful mothers that I have known and loved in my little over 25 years of life. You have helped me to be the mom that I am today and have been an inspiration of Godly womanhood and Godly motherhood! Of course I have left out many because it's late and I'm running on 'mommy brain' (haha) but two special ladies pictured below, alongside all of the other wonderful ladies, is my gorgeous and Godly sister Meredith who is just a wonderful inspiration of strength and Christ-likeness in a busy world, being a wonderful mommy to Caleb and to the 'little one on the way'(so excited to be an aunt for the second time), and to Teresa Fuller (my mother-in-law who went to be our Lord and Savior last year)...what a dear woman who had God's love shining through her and overflowing into the lives of all who knew and loved her. In her short time of being a "mawmaw", she made special memories with Hannah and Noelle that Trey and I will continue to keep alive in our children's hearts forever! I see her example of motherhood through Trey every time he holds our precious girls. Scripture says it all, "Her sons rise up and call her blessed"-Proverbs 31:28....that is a wonderful reflection of how Trey feels about his mother!
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