What brought Peter to the place where he stepped out of his boat that day so long ago?

What stirs a person to leave all and go as a missionary to a foreign land?

Hudson Taylor to China.

Amy Carmichael to India.

George Mueller to risk all and open a home for orphans.

And how about you?

Fear  weakens in the face of faith in Someone bigger and stronger.

David experienced it as he looked at Goliath that day so long ago.

George Mueller knew that he was weak and without the resources.

But His God? Why Mueller was convinced that his God was greater than any obstacle.

Faith trumped reason and practicality.

Fear says no

but faith says yes.

Fear says sit back in your boat

or you will perish.

But faith continues to call us out of our comfort zone and into His Purpose.

Ten years ago after that time of walking the beach

I said yes to adopting again.

Yes, to  beginning that lengthy process filled with so many unknowns.

I knew to expect the unexpected. I had adopted once from Russia.

So I made some calls and started working on my homestudy.

Within a few months I had everything ready to travel to Ukraine.

Longing for my second daughter. Carried as it were on wings of a prayer.

Stepping out of the boat more difficult as I knew I’d have to leave my oldest child at home.

We talked

and prayed.

Her faith was strong.

“Go and get her, Mommy,” she said as I placed a special necklace around her neck.

“When you look at this

remember that I am thinking of you, honey and I am coming home.”

Faith strengthened us as we embraced

and then parted.

His Call was to get out of the boat and to follow Him to the unknown.

What if………

Peppering my mind with terrible thoughts, fear tugged and pulled me back.

But there was another Pull that drew me forward.

As I gazed upon His Love and remembered His Faithfulness

I stepped forward. Boarded the plane. Spent three weeks in Ukraine

And almost

Yes almost adopted a little two year old.

Blond hair, sweet……

But like a vapor was gone before I knew what had gone wrong.

God, where are you when everything falls apart? Broken dreams; shattered hopes.

You called

but now my arms are empty.

“Not empty, my daughter” I sensed Him gently saying “filled more with Me.”

Yes, I was focused on adopting another child

but God was teaching me to know and trust Him at an even deeper level.

My broken heart bowed before Him that day in Kiev and placed itself at His Feet.

Whatever your Will, I trust you.

Out of the boat and into His Will.

Out of my pain and into His Peace.

Out of my emptiness and into His Fullness.

But I needed to get out of the boat to discover the vastness of His Blessings.

And there was more up ahead.