DENISE PROSSER: From Fear to Faith

In this Guest Post from Denise Prosser, she shares about a time when she and her husband stepped out in faith in order to bring their daughter home from China. Thank you for sharing, Denise! ~VS

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FROM FEAR TO FAITH

Denise Prosser 

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matt. 17:20 NLT)

“You know what we have to do,” my husband stated matter-of-factly. “I know what we have to do,” I replied. “I just don’t know how.”

There we sat at a crossroad with a monumental decision to make: Would we adopt the precious Chinese girl who was staying in our home on a hosting program? It seemed impossible, but God was clearly beckoning.

Just five weeks prior, God had requested a smaller step of faith: Agree to host her for four weeks. We didn’t know how to handle that financially, but a friend had challenged us, “If finances are the only thing holding you back, step out and watch God show up.” We stepped and watched God and His people reduce the $1,900 fee to $35!

Adoption is forever, and this cost was much greater, but we knew it was God’s will, too. The words of an adoptive dad echoed in our ears, “This is every bit as much a spiritual journey, as it has anything to do with adoption.” So, we leapt... and show up, He did.

He revealed a plan for our family to minister gospel music in churches, teach about adoption and orphan hosting, tell our story, and take up love offerings. This yielded several thousand dollars. A neighbor designed a t-shirt for a special fundraiser. A stranger gave me a $20 winning lotto ticket in the Wal-Mart shoe aisle. Another stranger hugged me and stuffed a $100 bill in my hand in the Aldi’s parking lot, stating that she was “just doing what the Lord told me to do.” Our community put on a wonderful benefit dinner for us. God used His people again and again.

Bit by bit, God met each next step with the finances it required. Time after time, He provided in the eleventh hour, in ridiculous ways. Step by step, God cleared the way to make this little girl our daughter.

We made that decision in July of 2015. God turned fear to faith as we walked, and He turned that faith into provision. Nine months (and 400 pages of paperwork) later, we boarded a plane for China to bring our daughter home! God was faithful through it all, though our steps were often tentative. Thanks be to God; fear didn’t stop God’s plan. 

REFLECT:

1. Can you think of something big God has asked of you?

2. How did He help you conquer your fear so you could answer His call?

3. What are you currently facing that requires extra faith?

4. What can you do, or ask of God, to grow your faith toward obedience?

 

Denise Prosser is from Lakewood, IL. She has been married for almost 22 years and is a mom to 4 daughters, ages 11 to 19. Denise has experienced great variety in motherhood: (1) how she became a mom - both biological and adoptive, (2) how she educated her kids - public, private, and home education, and (3) the various physical, emotional, and developmental issues her family has encountered. Her passion is motherhood. Her vision is to educate, equip, and encourage moms toward raising godly families. Her hope is to walk with women toward freedom, learning, and healing, as they grow in their relationship with Jesus. 

Read more from Denise at:  STAND AND SING