NO GREATER LOVE

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15: 9-13 (NIV)


Legend tells us that during the Roman Empire, there lived a Christian physician whose heart was touched with the needs of his fellow brothers and sisters who were being persecuted. This man loved others so much that he put his own life at risk by providing medical treatment to those whom the emperor chose to punish. As a result, this great doctor himself was thrown into prison. His love and compassion continued to flow even there as he shared his faith with those around him. He even shared his faith with the emperor who imprisoned him, trying to convert him to Christianity. As a result the emperor had him beaten and then beheaded. Following his death, Christians began sending messages of love to each other as a continual remembrance of this unselfish man named Valentine. Thus began the tradition of Valentine’s Day and the symbol of love it invokes.

Love is an emotion that even scholars can’t explain at times. It’s been called a phenomenon, a mysterious and splendid thing. It’s as invisible as the air we breathe, yet equally essential. Poets have tried to describe it. Philosophers have sought to understand it. Yet the mystery, miracle and feelings of love remain indescribable to many.

Long before Valentine’s Day tradition began, God gave the first gift of love. He gave His son as a sacrifice for our sins because He loves us so much. This was the foundation of true love. It is a love beyond all boundaries. Without this love there would be no celebration of love today. Love is one of the deepest and most fulfilling treasures God has ever given us. That gift transcends outward symbols and trivial attempts to explain it. Without His love, we wouldn’t experience God’s mercy, His Salvation or His joy. Once received, the deep abiding love of Christ in our hearts will overflow into every aspect of our lives. Real love, the kind of love that sacrificed all for you and me, came in human form to unite our hearts to God’s. What an amazing gift God has given us – not only to observe, but also to miraculously experience! His Word proclaims it to be greater than hope and faith. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13) NIV

Do we desire to love more and experience more love in our life? God’s word encourages us to follow God’s example of love in loving one another. Our Heavenly Father is the Author and Creator of love and he invites us to wrap ourselves and others in this extraordinary gift that was hand delivered by Him. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:12) NIV

Because of the romantic symbols we use to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we forget that St. Valentine actually lost his life because of his love for God. Beyond the glamour of roses and chocolates that help us celebrate the world’s view of romantic love, we find a man who gave his all for the love of his Savior. St. Valentine truly knew what it meant to be a follower of Christ. This man spent his life serving others. He died severing Christ. Few of us will ever be called on to actually give up our lives for those we love, but how much are we willing to sacrifice? Time? Energy? Money? Words? Our own wants and desires? The example of the Lord Jesus Christ shows us that love indeed is an action-not just a feeling. As we approach Valentine’s Day, we should remember where love first came from…our Father in Heaven.

As a closing to my blog about love I wanted to tell everyone about my family’s love without boundaries. As most people can see our family is “different”. Is that different good or different bad. Some would say we are “different- crazy”. We had a family of 5 and felt called by God to extend our love to 3 children in need of a family. I would say we needed them as much as they needed us. Does that make us crazy- maybe so? Before Emma-Grace ever got sick we had started talking about bringing another child into our family. As most ever one knows we lost our little “Emmie” last year despite the heroic efforts of many people. We continue to grieve that precious little girl who brought so much joy into our home. I had mentioned before that even though we have suffered a great loss, we could not be afraid to love again. God calls us to love and care for His children. The Bible commands us to care for the orphans. We feel God has blessed us with a wonderful family with an abundance of love to share. So- I said all of that to say - later this year we will be bringing another child home. Her name is Anna-Leigh Yin Carpenter. She will be approximately 22 months by the time we bring her home from China. Will we be older parents?- yes. Are we old enough to be her grandparents?-yes. Will we be even older and grayer before she graduates high school?- yes. But do we have the love and compassion to give another child a home? Yes, yes, and yes. We are all excited and can’t wait to see what this new chapter of life holds for us. Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers for our family, we love you all. Attached is a picture of a newest addition, we think she is beautiful.

THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS

As I sit down tonight to reflect on the past year I am amazed how many emotions come to mind. Joy, happiness, fulfillment, love, disbelief, anger, fear, and sorrow are just a few feelings that run through my brain. I feel this year has brought every conceivable emotion on the spectrum from good to bad. Not only had there been many emotions, but emotions that could change on a dime. Needless to say it has been a very hard year for my family. It is difficult for me to believe we are now into 2012. This past year has been somewhat of a blur to me. I have decided that maybe that is a good thing. I think it is one way God protects us from being so overwhelmed with life.


Over the last few weeks we have celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas. A time where we reflect on the past year and the things and people we are grateful for. In the Bible it says we are to be thankful in all things. Scripture tells us, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). As easy as that sounds on paper I have found it to be extremely hard at times. God isn’t saying to be thankful that something awful has happened. He knows we are human, we get hurt, and we lose hope, and suffer grief. No, rather he wants us to give thanks in the face of it. Not just when things are going our way. I am reminded that we are to recognize the blessings in our life each day. Not just on the good days. Thankfulness is not a once a year “holiday”. I believe we need to daily cultivate a heart of thanksgiving. We are to give thanks in all things, not some things, not the great and wonderful things, but in everything.

On Thanksgiving Day I awoke and right away the devil started whispering in my ear reasons I should not be thankful. “What do you have to be thankful for- your little girl is gone”. It would have been easy to give in to those thoughts. But I prayed about it and God started reminding me all of the blessings he pours out on my family daily. Yes, we did lose our precious Emma-Grace this year, but there are so many things to be thankful for. I wanted to list just a few things that I am personally grateful for.

1. I am thankful that even though I am a sinner, God loves me no matter what and he sent His son to die for my sins.

2. I am thankful for a family that loves the Lord. All of my children have made professions of faith.

3. I am thankful that God brought a beautiful little girl name Fuyan Dang (Emma-Grace) into our lives and gave us 2 ½ years with her.

4. I am thankful that little girl taught our family so much about life and love and drew our family closer than ever.

5. I am thankful that Emma-Grace is now with her Heavenly Father and is no longer sick and lying in a hospital bed hooked to machines and IVs.

6. I am thankful God spared us from having to see Emma-Grace in no other way than that little smart, silly, bubbly, lovey girl that she was.

7. I am thankful that God has brought my family through the most difficult year I can imagine. Not only are we together but our bond is stronger than ever.

8. I am thankful for family and friends who have been beside of us each step of the way.

Losing a child is an unbearable burden, an indescribable despair. I admit I have struggled with how to be thankful in the face of that. My sorrow has been deep and wide. It is a sorrow that I have a hard time even putting into words. It would have been easy to just go to bed and not get up. However with God’s grace I HAVE been able to get up. I HAVE been able to return to work. I HAVE been able to take care of my family in their time of sorrow. And I HAVE a hope for tomorrow. ”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “ (Jeremiah 29:11) And for all of those things I am thankful.

In the midst of my sorrow I have reminded myself to do a peculiar thing. I have tried even on the worst of days to find something to be thankful for. I am thankful Emma-Grace was placed with our family and that we had 2 1/2 precious years with her. I would have done anything if it would have prevented the illness she had to endure prior to her passing. However I know that Emma-Grace’s illness served a purpose for God’s kingdom. I understand that here on earth I will never totally comprehend how God works some times. But I have seen a mighty work done through a little girl who many people did not even know until 8 months ago. I am thankful that the nurses and doctors that took care of her felt God’s presence in our room. Although some of them maybe didn’t understand it, they expressed what peace and love they experienced around us, that we were “different” somehow. Those same people fell in love with a little girl that they never even met awake. I am thankful that because of Emma-Grace’s illness many people were drawn to the throne of God, many who had not been there in a long time. I am grateful that my own children (Christopher and Allyson) accepted the love of Jesus into their hearts during this past year. Overall I am thankful that God was glorified in the midst of our sorrow.

Perhaps this past year you are one of the millions who have lost their job, maybe your house is in foreclosure, maybe you are struggling to make ends meet, or perhaps you have lost one dear to your heart. This may be a season of grief and loss for you, but please know that you have a hope that does not disappoint. For you have a Father who understands you. God himself lost his child and I imagine his heart also grieved. That child prior to his death became flesh and felt many of the same emotions we feel while he was here on earth. He felt pain and sorrow and even cried when His friend Lazarus died. I think that is one reason he understands our hearts so well. He became man so he could know how we feel when we are hurt or sorrowful. He comforts the brokenhearted. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. His love is extravagant toward you. His love never fails. The Bible says your sadness may last for a time, but joy will come, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5). Oh what we have to be thankful for. Such a great God! Such a great love! Such a wonderful Savior!

If only for a short time, I am thankful for the time God gave me with my little Emmie before she went to Jesus. In the face of my pain, with God’s grace I have been able to give thanks. And I praise God for that!