Jeremiah 29:11

A year ago,
I didn't know Mama Sarah
Her prince,
Or her young princes.

Then we met in foster care training classes.
We both were teachers.
We both have heart for mission work with mothers and children.
We both were sign language majors before being teachers.
We both were entering the crazy world of fostering.
We both love the Lord.

Mama Sarah is one of my new foster friends in 2012.
(I love that I have that in my life.)
She's one of my prayer warriors.
I can vent,
I can be honest,
I can cry,
I can laugh,
With her about fostering
About trying to "mother"
Without judgement.
And I can't express how much that means.

(And there are others as well...so blessed to have others!)

Fast forward last week.

I email Sarah
And proceed to
Basically invite us over for New Year's Eve
With the promise of bringing lots of food.
(If they were by chance free!)

She says yes.
YES!
(God love her for saying yes.
And with such JOY!)
And she invited another family in as well
The wonderful Walker family.

Fast forward to tonight.
We spent New Year's Eve
At Mama Sarah's and her prince's house...
With five adults
And 14 children
Ages 2 - 12.
5 biological kiddos.
2 adopted kiddos.
7 foster kiddos.
(All who were part of sibling sets.)
(Seriously, God???
I LOVE THIS!!!!)

Lots of food.
Great fireworks.
Kids playing.
Kids singing.
Games.
Talking.
And celebrating the coming of 2013
At 10pm Arizona time!!!
(Yes!
Do the math -
That's midnight in NYC
And more importantly,
Michigan!)

My girls were happy.
My girls felt special.
My girls were blessed.
(And asleep and in bed by 11 pm!)

Have I mentioned lately that I
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
What the Lord is doing in my life?
What doors the Lord is opening and shutting?
What lessons the Lord is teaching me?
How the Lord is molding me in this season?

It's hard at times.
It's fun at times.
It's crazy most of the time.
It's confusing a lot of the time.

But it's His plan.
It's His will.

It's His story
That He is writing.
For me.
For the girls.
For those other 5 foster kiddos I spent the evening with.

Last week
Mama Sarah prayed this verse over me and the girls
After calling to covering me in prayer when I was feeling
Wordless

Jeremiah 29:11
"I know the plans I have for you,"
Declares the Lord.
"Plans to prosper you,
And not to harm you.
Plans to give you a hope
And a future."

The girls and I highlighted this verse
In their bibles this evening.
It's our 2013 verse.
It's our first memory verse of the year.

As Mama Sarah suggested,
I pray this verse,
Claim this verse
Over the girls each night.

I
Don't know
What
2013
Holds
For me
Or for them.
But
That's doesn't matter
Because I serve a God
Who DOES know
Who DOES care
Who DOES have a plan
A hope
A future
For me
For them
And it is PERFECT.