My Family Yearbook (catching up- #1)

Every life has a story.
God is writing my life story...One Day At A Time
~~~~~~My Introduction
My name is Sandy ,but around the blog world everyone calls me Mrs Sandy. I am a Christian that loves the Lord with all my heart. I consider Him the very best thing that ever happened to me. Just to think He gave his life for me just because He loved me so much... melts my heart. I don't know anyone else that loves me that much. I don't think a greater love than that exists.That is why I love Him and why He is my number one.Next... God knew I needed a companion.I married my high school sweetheart "Brent" in 1989. He is better known as Hubby here on my blog. He and I will soon be married 20 years. We basically grew up together. Some say we married to young...we probably did, but we've made it! I can't say it's always been easy. We've been through some tough times, but we've always came out stronger and better. We've been blessed with many more good times than bad!In many ways he is exact opposite of me ,except for our strong beliefs and our love for the young...these things we strongly share and they are what matters most to us. So that takes me to the next chapter in my life's story...We have been blessed with a wonderful family!!! Our Birth Annoucments look something like this...~~~Our Children~~~Anna BrookeBorn Dec 2, 1989She was 5 pounds19 inches long~~~~~Katie DanyelleBorn Feb 2,1992She was 6 pounds 19 inches long~~~~~Then God blessed us with a double delivery!!!!!Twins!~~~~~Lea AshleyBorn Aug 4,19936 pounds20 inches~~~~~Jonathan BrentBorn Aug 4, 19935 pounds19 inches~~~~~Eight years later, I got the missing baby blues:)~~~~~Jacob NoahBorn Aug 13, 20016 pounds20 inches~~~~~I stayed home and kept kids (and still do) while Brent worked to provide for our family. We decided it was best for me to stay home ,because we didn't want our kids in daycare ,and we didn't have any family that was able to keep them. I didn't mind being home... I loved it! I was glad I didn't miss any of my kid's "Firsts". When I look back, I wonder how we made it all these years and all I can say is, "IT WAS GOD"! He provided all of our needs and most of our wants too! We've never went without or even struggled to make ends meet. We've made it, but only with God's help! My question is how do people make it that don't have God?In 2004, I felt God was dealing with my heart again. I thought I had done all the things God had laid on my heart to do, up to that point. I had attended church regularly, I had taught Sunday school, I had taught Awanas, I had taught children's church ,I taught VBS every summer, I was active with the youth , I was a youth director, I had witnessed to many He had led me to,I had done my best to pray for everyone who had asked me to, I gave my offering on Sundays, I had helped feed the hungry through a local food bank, I had tried to live for Him daily, but I just felt that He neede more from me. I just kept being reminded of all He had done for me and how little I had done in return. He kept reminding me that my life had a greater purpose then I could see and that my life's purpose was to fulfill His will...not my own. All that I had done was nothing more then filthy rags in His sight. He deserved more. But how Lord? I felt that I was doing all I could possible do at that time. But yet, I felt strongly that He wanted more out of my life. I talked to my Pastor and he reminded me how God had used the least to do the greatest and how God didn't call the equipped... He equips the ones He calls.So what was it that God wanted from me?I felt strongly that He wanted me to help troubled families. I couldn't see how I could possibly help someone's family, when I couldn't even reach the lost or backsliden within my own extended/distant family. However, I knew if God led me to it, somehow He would help me through it. I remember setting in the bath tub and God laying on my heart to be a foster parent. I thought okay Lord I'll do that. I thought,that shouldn't be that hard. It wasn't that hard to convince me, but my hubby was another story. I ran it by my hubby and this was his reply, "Are you crazy?" We have enough kids to worry about. We don't need any more. So I went back to God and I asked Him to open Brent's eyes if this was indeed what He had called me/us to do. I knew only God could change Brent's mind.Within a few weeks He did. A child that we knew well and loved dearly went into foster care. The very day she went into care, Brent said call DFCS and see what we need to do. It took 7 months to do all that DFCS required us to do, but everything fell into place and we went and picked up our oldest child "Samantha". Since then we've had several children come through our home. Some stayed days, some stayed weeks, some months, and others years. However, I must admit that I didn't have the right mind set or even heart set in the beginning,but God quickly changed that too. At first I was selfish and very critical. I wanted to beat these parents over the head and run to the other side of the world and hide their kids, but God kept reminding me that ,that was not what He wanted from me. He wanted me to reach out and love these families. He kept reminding me that I am no different then they are (In His eyes) and that if I had walked in their shoes, I too might be where they are today. He reminded me how He loved me when I didn't deserve to be loved. He opened my eyes and since then I've approached fostering with a different heart attitude. All the families that I've dealt with since my heart change, are still in my life and that has made a huge difference in me. I truly believe "Little is much if God is in it".If we all would just do a little to better someone's life, just imagine the difference it could make in the world.I know Tara that started the family yearbook wanted our posts to be kept short and as simple as possible, but I didn't know how I could do that with this post ,because God has done and is still doing some amazing things in my life. I can't tell you about me without pointing you toward Him.I hope this post helped you to understand a little about who Sandy is. In my future posts, I'll tell you a little more about the individuals that share my life.God is good! He has been so good to me!