I was an orphan.

I am a poor and desolate orphan lying in the street, totally helpless and hopeless to do anything on my own. The only hope I have is if a loving Father steps in to rescue me from my helplessness and desolation and pity and filth and if that Father comes down from his home, walks the dirty streets, stoops down to me and says, "You're the one I want. Come, be my daughter. I will do anything it takes to have you in my family. I will give up my comfort and security and stoop down into the filth and messiness because I LOVE YOU."

From this...

To this...

--I found this in my journal from about a year ago and this truth hit me once again. God has adopted us - not because he needs us, but because he LOVES us.

Last week at a teachers' convention, the speaker reminded us: "God doesn't need you to be dependable. He wants you to be dependent."