2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted."

I know I already shared this verse in my very long intro post, but some really neat things have happened since then that I know are not coincidental, that I felt compelled to share. I had a good friend ask me once, "How do you know God is speaking to you? Do you hear His voice?" I had a hard time answering that question, because for me at least, it's never been an ACTUAL voice, but a knowing, a thought, a revelation... It is usually through scripture that the Lord speaks to me. Sometimes I will be deep in thought and ask the Lord a question and a particular verse will come to mind that pertains to the question. Sometimes it's through a song, sometimes through the words of a pastor, mentor, or friend... Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." That is AMAZING! This is my new favorite verse. Psalm 119:11 says, "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I might not sin against You." If we read His written word, the Bible, the Holy Spirit will remind us of it when we need it. When we read the words of the Bible, they become "hidden" in our hearts and no-one can ever snatch those promises from us.
My point is this, the Holy Spirit spoke to me that morning through that verse and told me that He has been Hope's comfort, therefore she has been able to comfort others. I have proof that she is a comforter from a picture I received where she is holding a little one in her lap. She is the only older child in the photo holding a younger child. Actually, she is the only person, including 3 nannies, who is embracing another person in the photo. From what I have learned of this culture, they do not embrace each other affectionately very often...
In the past 3 weeks, our pastor has shared this verse in a sermon, and it has popped up in 2 of my daily devotionals. One is from an online devotional that I receive daily and the other is from a devotional book of scripture that I read every day. So that makes 3 times in less than 3 weeks that that same verse has come across my path. So, is the Lord trying to tell me something here? I believe so! He's got it covered. He loves her and He has a plan for her life. My only question at this point is, what do I have to do with this? The only answer I know for sure is that I am to pray. Not only for Hope, but for the thousands of other orphans just like her. James 1:27, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world". One thing that also spoke to me in this verse is that it doesn't say, the only way to do this is through adopting the orphans. It is obvious to us that adoption is not His plan for our family right now, but PRAYER is. Will you pray with me today for these children without moms and dads? There are orphans all around us. I want to encourage you today to set down whatever book you are reading, or whatever TV show you are watching, or whatever blog you are following, and open up your Bible to the book of James. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to sanctify you by His word, because His word is truth (John 17:17) and allow His word to penetrate your heart. Let us not just be HEARERS of the word, but DOERS of the word! (James 1:22)