Focus on the Family with Lisa Harper: Perseverance and Waiting

Key Themes

• Perseverance and Waiting in life and how these lead to miracles.
• The gospel message includes both good and tough times.
• Importance of faith and hope in trying circumstances.
• Personal stories of perseverance and the miraculous outcomes in Lisa's life.
• Biblical references relating to waiting and enduring tough times.

Introduction

• Lisa Harper: Former Director of Women's Outreach at Focus on the Family, accomplished communicator, recent doctoral graduate, adoptive mother.
• Focus on the Family broadcast aims to help families thrive in crisis.
• Sharing part of Lisa's testimony given at Propel Conference for Women.

Main Story: Adoption of Anna Price Harper

• Lisa’s commitment to adopting a baby girl named Anna Price born to Marie, a crack addict and prostitute.
• Experience throughout the pregnancy, and dealing with Marie in a crack house to better care for her.
• High-risk adoption process and months of uncertainty.
• Final legal clearance: Joy and preparation to bring Anna Price home.
• Tragedy: Adoption falls through at the last moment; emotional devastation.
• Multiple personal crises coincide: Lisa’s mother diagnosed with stage four cancer, father’s terminal cancer diagnosis.
• Emotional toll: Collapse, feeling unfit, breaking down, but turning to God.

Secondary Story: Adoption of Missy

• Two weeks after Anna Price's situation, Lisa starts the process to adopt Missy, a Haitian girl.
• Lisa's journey with Missy filled with divine assurance.
• Perseverance paid off: Missy became a beautiful addition to Lisa's life.

Biblical Story: Anna from Luke 2

• Anna, a prophetess who worshiped God for decades awaiting the Messiah.
• Life of devotion, serving daily, roughly 103 years old, waiting over 80 years.
• Connection between waiting and happiness, God's assurances to those who wait.
• Examples of scriptures highlighting the virtue of waiting and perseverance:
  • Psalm 40:1: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
  • Isaiah 30:18: “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you… Blessed are those who wait for him.”
  • Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength…”
  • Lamentations 3:25-26: “The Lord is good to those who wait for him…”
  • 2 Peter 3:13-14: Believers waiting for new heavens and new earth.

Biblical Assurance: Waiting and Perseverance

• God's directive to stand firm and wait demonstrates faith and leads to miracles.
• Perseverance equated to the miracle doorway, faith in God's plans and goodness.

Personal Miracles

• Missy: After waiting, rejected adoption processes, Missy brings immeasurable joy and purpose.
• Parents’ Reconciliation: Unexpected miraculous reconciliation and forgiveness between Lisa's divorced parents before her father’s death, illustrating God's redemptive power.

Conclusion

• Waiting and perseverance are tied to deep spiritual realities and blessings.
• Encouragement for those in waiting: stand firm in faith.
• Focus on the Family resources and support for those enduring a season of waiting.

Call to Action

• Reach out for support and prayer if you are experiencing a season of waiting.
• Consider donating to Focus on the Family to support those in need.