And then I received a swift kick to my rear end

Our ONEfamily ministry at our church has an email group of over two hundreds people that are involved in orphan care through fostering, adoption, or supporting families that are currently doing so. 

Last week, I sent out an email to those families encouraging them to consider taking the next Foster Care Training class this coming fall.  

I challenged each of them think about whether it was time for their family to take the step and consider fostering or respite care. 

In fact, here's my exact quote in the email....

"Please prayerfully consider this opportunity.  Foster care isn't always comfortable or smooth-sailing, but it is a tangible and immediate way to care for the orphan in our own city. 

And as I am gently reminded on a regular basis.....God hasn't called us to a life of comfort, he's called us to a life that glorifies Him. 

Is He calling you and your family to glorify Him through fostering? 

I have a feeling there are some of you out there who know it's your turn.  

It's time to take that step of faith."

Bold words.  

One should be careful when sending emails like that. 

Because there's a good chance one may have to live out those words. 

Gahhhhhhhhh.

Not even a few HOURS after sending out that email, we had a situation come up for us that was a big, potentially life-changing decision for our family. 

And as Brian and I prayed about that decision, without reading the email I had sent out, he basically prayed the same words for us that I had just written to other families. 

Swift kick to my rear. 

Because honestly? This situation is hard and uncomfortable. 

Not in a fearing for my personal safety and security kind of way...

More in a "this is going to change the way you do everyday life from here on out" kind of way. 

It may will make things inconvenient.  

It may will change the way we budget and spend our money. 

It may will change our schedule.  

It may will change the dynamic of our house. 

It is out of my comfort zone. 

And in that tension- in the space between the part of me that craves comfort and resists change and the part of me that knows that ultimately God's plan for our family is so much greater than I can fathom....is a glimpse of what this decision could mean. 

When I push aside the discomfort and the inconvenience, I see the potential for healing and hope and dreams to be answered that had long been given up. 

I can't share the specifics at this point.  (you can email me and maybe I'll share. :) 

But I can officially say my rear end has been kicked. 

The email I wrote trying to challenge other families to step outside their comfort zone was apparently meant just for me.

I hate it when that happens.