A Sheep’s Psalm: On Psalm 23 and Praise for Plot Twists

Mae Mae & Tim Pops

A few months ago, I praised God for plot twists.*

To my dismay and discomfort, plots kept twisting. And still do.

In September, I hadn’t the slightest clue what Spring 2016 held. By mid-December, I solidified an internship with Red Bus, and anticipated a big, potentially lasting move to Nashville.

Mid-January, weeks before my RBP start date, The Lord blessed me with host families who “adopted” me into their houses and lives.

Praise the Lord, He made a path to start 2016.

I arrived to Nash. Found a church. Found fellowship. Found friends. Almost instantaneously.

But wait. I started Red Bus. Found a family of fellow orphan defenders. Found Faith in the radical love from every person who showed Hope. Found forever–a big word for this weary traveler. Almost automatically.

BUT WHAT. I began to get sick. Real sick. Like coughing and hacking and draining of first my body, then myself: physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually.

But Praise the Lord for plot twists: He paves paths every day.

Right now, I’m back at home. Home, home, in the Dallas suburb where I learned to ride a bike.

Same room. Same girl. New woman.

Now Mae, not Mae Mae–a cute nickname Pops/Tim still calls me on occasion.

Transformed by time (3.5 years), space (Waco, Houston, Nashville), and great life events (a Baylor education, a summer in Italy, internships on internships) and even greater people (hey, thanks for making me, Mae).

It’s good to be back. It’s good to be home.

It’s good to unpack and reorganize my life: books, clothes, journals, calendars, with an intent to extend my stay in Dallas, Texas, and America.

I memorized Ps. 23 a year ago. Now it has a whole new meaning:

1. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want. (v. 1, ESV). This makes me a hopeless, desperate sheep, and some Shepherd Man leaves me with zero desires apart from Him.
2. He makes me lie down, leads me, restores me, guides me (v. 2-3). To green pastures for rest, quiet waters for hydration. Along paths of righteousness, not a limited A-leads-to-B trail.
3. I walk through the valley. But I will fear no evil (v. 4). I don’t run or flee in the valley, but Shepherd Man escorts me out. Or protects me as I visit.
4. You prepare a table before me, anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows (v. 5). It’s too good to be true. I make it through the valley and into a Kingdom. On a mountain.
5. Sureley goodness and love will follow me, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v. 6). Satan will try to steal me, but God’s grace and mercy follow me. The Loser’s schemes won’t get him to Heaven. I’ll land there. And I will bask in the fullness of the presence of the Lord.

Right now? I’m basking in an awareness of God. From home, Dallas.

One day, on the Best Day Ever, I’ll see Shepherd Man face-to-face. In Heaven, Heaven!

I’ll welcome silly, earthly plot twists, because these paths of righteousness will reunite me with my Shepherd Man. One Day. It’s coming! And I feel giddy!

A God thing happened in the NY subway.

 

I was supposed to go to church with my friend Mandy (pictured above). I woke early and planned to stop by a coffeeshop, then head to her way. I accidentally went the opposite direction, turning a walk into a trek. So I decided to take the subway instead.

In the station, I ran into a couple with two, young adopted Chinese girls. I politely asked if they were adopted and struck a conversation with the parents, Carrie and Seth.

They were overwhelmingly kind and incredibly excited to meet, asked the do’s and don’t’s of raising their daughters and told me they were Christians on their way to church. I told them about Red Bus Project andShow Hope, my blog and a bit of my story in the 10 min. we were together.

It was an incredibly crazy God moment. It pumped me up even more for the next few months when I can dedicate nearly all of my time, focus and effort into sharing about how God faithfully, continually loves me through adoption.

Praise the God who does CRAZY, BIG things even in the simplest of days!

A Good, Good Father: On Adoption

I was got 20 years ago today.

In the adoption world, Gotcha Day celebrates the anniversary of your adoption.

I’ve understood the overwhelming love and acceptance by people who are not my own, who differ from me not only in looks, but also opinions, mentalities and habits.

When I think of my adoption, I remember the Gospel. I remember nature of God the Father:

God pursues His children.

My parents filled out paperwork, waited for answers, budgeted finances, prayed on their knees, waited for more answers, received a photo, filled out more paperwork, booked flights, reserved hotels, and then they were able to bring me home.

Adoption is by no means a quick or easy process, but the reward makes the hours of uncertainty and frustration worth it.

In the same way, God seeks out His children. When they run, when they falter, He does not cease from loving them. He does not stop until the children come home.

God disciplines His children.

When I was little, I usually got in trouble for hitting my brothers, and occasionally for mouthing off. My parents would send me to my room for lesser punishments. For greater, a spanking was an additional penalty.

Adoption gives adoptive parents full parental authority and duties. While the highlight of a parent’s job is to love a child, it is also to ensure the child follows the right paths and upholds certain morals.

In the same way, God corrects His children when they veer off the path. When the first generations on this earth lived indespicably, God wiped the slate clean through flooding the earth. When the Israelites kept turning from Him, they wandered for 40 days.

God blesses His children.

My parents got me a car when I was 16. They allowed me to study abroad in Italy this summer. They’ll keep opening their doors for me until I return the favor with a house and family of my own. And when they are gone, I will receive an inheritance.

Adoption is the greatest gift. A child receives a family. A family receives a child. Beyond that, a child will receive all of the benefits that come with being a part of a family: a house, food, gifts and more.

In the same way, God gives to His children. He creates all good and perfect gifts to bless His children. The children of God inherit His kingdom, they will be welcomed into eternity with joyous singing and melodious music.

God the Father is a good, good father.

He pursues, disciplines and blesses His children. He does not care about skin, hair or eye color. He does not target past sins, lies and deceits.

He loves deeply and with great grace and never ending mercy. He says, “I don’t care who you are. I don’t care where you’ve been. I care that you are mine.”

The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spiritthat we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. -Romans 8:15-17