Thursday, January 30, 2020

Sheltering Trees

"We all need sheltering trees
friends in our lives who get down on their knees
lift us up before the King of Kings!
We all need sheltering trees" -Newsong

Isaiah says,
"They shall be oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor" Is. 61:3

Kirstin made me lactation cookies and cleaned my room, mom Yoder put out the herbs for mother's milk tea, Julia gave me basil oil and fenugreek, Pat gave me chocolate, several ladies at church gave me their experience about bringing in milk supply, and I get texts every day asking me how my milk is coming in.

Dad Yoder has read countless books to the older girls.
My sister and mother came to Indiana to visit, even though my sister couldn't even see the babies and my mother never got to hold them.  Others have visited or said they want to visit us.  Mom Yoder did science and made flowers with Mariama, Kirstin dressed them to do animals chores with her every morning (no small task.) They put our girls to nap and to bed at night.

A gift box from a family we've never met but who know Zach's brother.


Hot chocolate from our gift box!
Bridgit, soon to join us in Nigeria, came to visit!
We came back to the United States to a house the church is renting us for very little that had been made to feel like a home. Friends from around the world write me prayers and encouragement...hundreds of them.  I have gotten care packages in the mail from people I've never met.  The other day I went to visit family friends.  The husband wrote a large check to help with the costs of the twins, and then his wife exclaimed, "Me too!" and placed a tin full of money she's collected over the years from doing a job for a neighbor.  We were lent a truck for me, Christy, to go back and forth to the hospital in, and my brother gave us a minivan for the duration of our time here, insurance paid.  Zach's sister gave us two phones that go with their phone plan.    I've been offered rooms in three homes that are closer to the hospital if I want to crash during the day or at night. Brothers and sisters at church I don't know the names of ask me how the twins are, and then, with true concern, ask, "And how are you?"  I get calls on the phone from individuals I've only talked with once, asking how they can pray or help.  My high school homeroom teacher (20 years later) sent me "Twinsess #1 and Twinsess #2" onesies and hats.  One brother sent us a book about how trees teach us about the love of God after hearing Acacia and Olivia's names.

These people are our sheltering trees, the "oaks" that have displayed the Lord's splendor to us.  One night in tears I said to Mom Yoder, "Why is everyone so kind!  I understand when we've come back from Nigeria after serving for a couple of years, but I'm not even doing anything and they are showing such love!"  Then I got a prick in my spirit and a thought in my mind, "That's what my grace looks like, Christy, you don't have to do anything.  That's what I've been trying to teach you."  What a beautiful God that loves us in our weakness, and doesn't demand we please him before he blesses us.  We're overflowing, feeling so full at a time when we "should" feel empty. 
That's God's economy of grace.
Sweet girls looking forward to meeting their little sisters! Pray for them as they are in Michigan with daddy for a couple of weeks. 

I get to spend about 14 hours a day sitting by these sweeties cribs, on call if they want to nurse or need a change!




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