Lori Schumaker
About the Author

Lori is biological and adoptive mom to 3. Her passion is speaking hope into the lives of others.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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Comments

  1. Lori,
    This is beautiful…I am so touched. Oh, how I cling to my version of what is beautiful…what is happily ever after. My life has taken so many twists and turns that I would have perhaps never purposely written into my version of the story, but God has been faithful to bring beauty, even from the ashes in my story, to write His perfect version for me. Letting go and trusting. We are called to it continually while we’re on this earth. Embracing change…embracing not knowing. But KNOWING that God is good and He is in control. Wonderful reminder this am!
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • Hi Bev,
      Thank you so much for your beautiful comment. I am so glad God used these words as a gentle reminder for you! Over and over again we see His story of giving us beauty for ashes, but yet, in the midst of the moment, it is so difficult for us to see it for ourselves! When we do, though, it brings us so much peace!
      Blessings and smiles,
      Lori

  2. Lori, your words speak directly to the truth of me. I am currently grasping desperately to an “ideal” living situation and I don’t understand why things are not lining up. What I desire is not unholy or even selfish, but I also don’t have a vision or even slight picture of what God desires for me. I feel like a child who has not yet learned to read, who waits anxiously for her father to read the next part of the story, but he says, “Time to get some sleep…I’ll read more tomorrow night.” I can only dream what happens next.

    • Hi Latoya,
      I love that illustration of a bedtime story! Beautiful! I am stopping right now to pray that peace settles over and through you as you embrace God’s story in your living situation! Thank you so much for sharing a little piece of your story with me today!
      Blessings and smiles,
      Lori

  3. Lori, thank you for your beautiful posting. Praise to our Lord that He is not done with our stories. Like you, Bev, and LaToya said; its letting go and trusting that while the old stories are over, He is writing a better new one. I am in the middle of this story that He is writing; trying to trust and not fear, not feel afloat. He is our hope and destination as we seek Him and love Him. Its scary to embrace change and the unknown, but Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and His truth are our compass. Praying that each of us let Him today 🙂

  4. Lori,

    I can’t even begin to say that what you’ve expressed in this beautiful post is exactly what I’ve been struggling and mulling over for the past couple weeks. I’ve been holding onto to a dream that has absolutely not gone as I had envisioned yet I still hold onto the fragmented pieces trying to justify that it’s still mine and those tough questions are exactly the ones I’ve been needing to hear and pray about and journal about. I just never realized it until now. Praise the Lord for his timing! I’m so thankful and blessed by Bev, LaToya and A for your comments as well. We’re all in this together!

    • Amen! I love that we can lift each other up and hold each other accountable! I am praying for you right now, friend, that you sense the nudging of the Holy Spirit and with trust walk along with Him right into that different dream!
      Thank you so much for visiting!

  5. Lori,
    Thank you for this wonderful reminder to give our life to Christ and let him work out the details. I think as women we all can easily become hooked on the ideal life, family, home etc. Having married a man with three children and become a stepmother, this is definitely not the life I dreamt of or wished for. However, I would not change a single thing. The Lord drew me to this man and his children for a reason and I love our family. It’s not perfect, and at times I struggle with four parents raising our kids instead of two, but the Lord knows best. He made something completely broken into a beautiful dream I could never have envisioned. Trust in the Lord, he holds the owners manual and map and knows what he is doing uniquely for each one of us.

  6. Oh . . . trusting God to write our story. This is a hard hurdle in this discipleship journey, and I’m still working and trusting for this. Thanks for sharing how it’s working for you. Blessings!

  7. Wow, Lori! What a great testimony of hope and trust in God’s plans and timing. I love hearing how you have responded to and handles the challenges with your adoption.

    Thank you for this reminder… “Friends, you may be in a situation that doesn’t resemble the dreams you once had. But can I gently reassure you . . . God is still in charge of writing your story. And may I encourage you to entrust Him with writing a beautiful one?”

    You have encouraged me today!
    Thank you~
    Sure am blessed by you,
    Melanie

  8. Lori, thank you for sharing this. I struggle with similar issues of disappointment. If only my life looked like This, I’d be whole and happy. Oh, how I cling to Jesus for my satisfaction, or I’d be on a wild goose chase for an ideal only present in my head.

  9. Amen! Amen! Amen, girl! I’m an adoptive mom of five whom we brought into our home 19 and 16 years ago from orphanages on the other side of the world. Talk about shattered dreams! They were nightmares! But I can tell you, God does have His story to write. We must let go of our expectations–our dreams. I sometimes think His story was more about the changes He wanted to make in me than anything else. My kids are now all grown–our oldest turned 30 yesterday. We have 10 grandkids. I like to say, “Grandkids cover a multitude of sins.” My kids will never be younger versions of me, nonetheless, they are a testimony of God’s grace. Hang on to this lesson you’ve shared. It is necessary. God sees your heart. He sees your work. He is blessed.

  10. Lori,

    Such wise words! This is so true: “We don’t know what the future holds, but we can trust the Author of our story.” My life has had many twists and turns. I never thought life would turn out this way and I’d be a semi-caretaker for my aging dad. One thing I do know: I can trust the Author of the story. He knows the plans He has for us-to prosper us and not to harm us! He can work miracles and bring beauty out of ashes! He has healed my dad from major medical issues.
    Blessings 🙂

  11. Lori, what a beautiful story of hope and it’s not even a story at all — you’re living it everyday. I’m so grateful for your example of trust. I’m glad that God helped you come to this place of contentment in spite of your shattered dreams. Your life is such a testimony that encourages others, including me. May God continue to write your beautiful story, one that is full of hope, faith and grace!

  12. Thank you for the encouragement to lean into God and trust him. My story now years later is nothing I would have dreamed. It is hard so often to realize my dreams won’t come true. I have been asking for me to have his help in redefining my dreams and see them with his eyes.

  13. So many times I’ve gotten ahead of God on what I dreamt should be and then disappointment set in when it looked different or I had to wait on whatever God’s best really was, Lori. I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability on this subject, my friend! It challenges me to remember this profound truth that God’s dreams are always better than my own. Thanks for sharing and glad to see you guest writing here too!

  14. Lori … since I wrote my sentiments over at your opening on your blog … all I have left to say is “WOW … congratulations Lori !!! Woo hoo … being featured at (in) courage that inspired and encouraged you to write as part of your dream … so well done!

    I am inspired and encouraged by the hope in your words.

    From such a test in the adoption of your daughter … you have written a beautiful testimony … from the mess that you face (and we all can relate to the waiting and the fear of the changes) to the perfect message of hope. Now we can all stand together in prayer with and for you, your family and your daughter and believe that God is working this out for good, a miracle of healing, much strength, patience and wisdom to understand with the peace you’ve already found and had along this tough ‘test’ and the truth you hold on to and have given us.

    … May each of us be ready to embrace change and trust God! Thank you Lori! (In the beginning of this year, I joined Kristen Strong and Crystal Stine and many others with a CHANGE CHALLENGE. I believe that this written by you fits in with that and you should have been featured on their Blab Chats too!) So glad to see this dream come full circle and I await to see what else God may still do. Many blessings and much love, Peggy

  15. Lori,
    What a touching testimony of truth! Thank you for the reminder that we can trust God to write the story of our life. When we embrace his story, then peace can replace fear! I love that! Your writing pours forth truth and hope!

  16. Lori, thank you for this. I’m really struggling with this time in my life – 42 – and thought I would have a husband and family of my own. I don’t know what God’s plan is but maybe I just have to start embracing my life with none of this. That is the part I am finding hard.

  17. Amen! Trust and surrender bring such peace. I’m finding the ability to approach situations and loved ones with greater calm as I rest in that place of knowing that God is pursuing all of us and drawing us close to Him. Beautiful post Lori!

  18. Thank you for the assurance that God is still writing my story–even into retirement! It may not be what I expected, but each chapter will be GOOD, because he’s accomplishing his good purpose for me. Thank you for sharing this wisdom with us, Lori, and better yet, for living it out.

  19. So real! Love this, Lori! It applies to so many of us and our own life dreams/experiences, you are certainly an instrument in Gods’s hands!

  20. So beautiful, friend! What a great reminder of sitting in the pretty of God’s plans for us and not into what we have dreamed or planned out in our limited capacities. Thanks for sharing your heart and you persistence to embrace love and the Lord in our realities. Have a wonderful week. I look forward to your posts next week at Sitting Among Friends!