So, my mommy friends, what’s the story?
Honestly, this post is really just this one question.

What is the story that my life is telling?

What is the story your life is telling?

Once upon a time, there was a mommy……

I want my life to tell the story of God at work in me and my family.

On the title page it will say,

Looking back I realize that I used to want (and often try) to write my own story. Well, I suppose I still do, but I am getting increasingly comfortable with letting that go!

I had an idea of what our family would look like. I had a great plan, a godly plan, for each of our birth daughters. Really, you all would have so loved my story!

And when God called us to adopt, this new thread in the story turned out to be an amazing plot twist, and we loved it when God introduced the new “characters” in our story line. What an amazing story-teller He is!

So, of course, I quickly wrote their plot summaries as well. That’s what authors do, right? We mamas know how to make a good story for each of our children!

In reality though, I was telling the story of me–the story of my love for God and of my love for my children.
The story of my good parenting and my wonderful children.

Once upon a time there was a mommy, and she did this, and then she did this, and then this….

That is how the story was progressing in my mind. But over the years I see how many times the True Author has gently taken the pen from my hand and written it differently. How kind He’s been to me.

It’s like He’s said, “Beth, how about we do it this way….”

And sometimes the story becomes so beautiful that it brings tears to my eyes to think that He is letting me be a part of such narrative. How could it be that I get to play this role?! To be a mommy in this story is more glorious and beautiful and good than anything I could have imagined! I LOVE my part in this story!!

And then sometimes I think for sure He must have made a mistake. This isn’t the plot line we agreed upon! It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

But then He gently pulls me aside from the pen and paper, from the telling of the story, and He begins to whisper to me about the particular story line that is so upsetting for me. And I push back and let Him know that I don’t like this part of the story! Please, please can we not change it? Like, maybe NOW?!

But Beth, take a look here. Let me show you some plans I have for this part of our story. For it is OUR STORY being told you know. I’m taking this mistake of yours and that misstep of theirs, and I’m weaving them together to create a plot line that will bring glory to my name and release life to you all. I’m not wasting anything here. Where your choices have taken the story in the wrong direction, I am busy writing up a story line that will be so good that you’ll want to read it aloud to anyone who will listen.

And so, wonderful, Wonder-Full God, I just want to thank You that You are telling a story of life and beauty and power and redemption and hope and faith, and so many good things. I want my life to tell this story Lord God. Sign Your Name to this life, be the author of this story. I LOVE the way you write! Pick up my life like a pen and write something glorious. Amen.  

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (Jeremiah 29:11) 

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Beth has been married to her husband Stephen for 27 years. They have seven children, ages 18-24. Several years after giving birth to three girls God called their family to the adventure and blessing of adoption. In 2000, they brought home a brother and sister, ages 5 and 10, from Russia. Then they returned to the same orphanage 18 months later and brought home two more brothers, ages 7 and 10. Beth’s heart has been deeply and forever changed as she has watched the love of Father God poured out on her whole family through adoption. She leads Hope at Home, a ministry dedicated to help adoptive and foster parents encounter the Father’s heart for their families, partnering with God to transform orphans into sons and daughters. For more parenting insight and encouragement in the Lord, go to Hope at Home.