ODE TO A DEAR FRIEND
Written by Tabitha for Deborah
(Who wouldn't be motivated to press ahead day after day?)
Dear sister, how often I lift your name to the Maker
Praising Him for all He does through you.
Tenderly, carefully, tirelessly
You serve and graciously give to each who comes
With open hands and a broken heart.
Who encourages the encourager?
Who cares for the caregiver?
Who serves the servant?
Each day I pray that it will be me.
So well you seem to understand God's directives
That to be great, one must be
Humbled in servitude.
Not only, as many would like to think, to the lovely
But to the unlovely as well.
I watch, dear sister, as our God
Shapes you through tribulations
And grows you more and more into
The woman that the world so desperately needs
For no one else is Deborah, and no one else
Can walk your path.
No one else is strong enough
To walk that path.
God gave you alone that particular strength
Oh how I wish
That the Lord had given you an easy path
But how I praise Him
That He has gifted you with the love
That would strive to spare others the same pains.
I often read of your life
And marvel
That you are the woman you have become.
How unfailingly
You reach out.
You reach out to infertiles
And bring us the hope of parenthood.
While teaching us a love
Of the one whose sacrifice will grant us joy.
You reach out to those who cannot trust
Who have been burned and scarred
By those of cruel motives
And teach them of the hope they can regain in the Lord.
You reach out to birthparents
And give them a reason to bring forth life
With the experience that comes from
Your own anguish.
You reach out to birth grandparents
To ease their pain
And to spare birthmothers the type of pain
That was thrust upon you.
How many would bother?
How many would care?
How many can transcend their own selfish desires
To help others?
You.
And I pray each day
That God will continue
To turn rain into flowers
Sweltering heat into sweet apples
And lemons
Into lemonade.
For more information please read Dominoes and Journal. We encourage you to prayerfully consider registering with our service, and/or writing to us.
adoption@christianadoption.com
A non-profit Christian and Internet
service ministry. We're helping others in the adoption
process.
1.800.277.7006 620.251.4405
Deborah S. Hill P.O. Box 243 Coffeyville, KS 67337
www.christianadoption.com adoption@christianadoption.com
