No Longer an Orphan: Never Abandoned, Never Alone

By Dana Stone

There are over seven billion people in the world today. Why is it that so many of us still feel alone, forgotten, or abandoned? We long to be noticed, loved, and protected. We spend countless hours filling the emptiness with our careers and outside activities; and yet at the end of the day we still feel like orphans; our hearts cry out for a sense of belonging.

No Longer an Orphan reveals Gods desire to give us that sense of belonging. The book shares twenty-seven distinct character traits of God that will bring clarity and understanding to the truth that we are never alone. Using real life examples, the reader has the opportunity to fully embrace and understand Gods true capacity to love, nurture, and protect us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512705423

Dana Stone

Dana Stone is a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and friend. She is a nurturer by nature and has a passion for people who feel unloved, unseen, and lonely. She has been involved in many ministry opportunities that bring hope and love to those who are hurting. As a part of the ministry team at Gateway Church she is able to mentor and encourage people of all ages that need to see and experience the unconditional love that God desires to give us as His children.

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Copyright © 2015 Dana Stone.

Author photo: Cory Hale

Family 2015: Kimberly Dendy

Netanya 2015: Johan Etsebeth

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0541-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0543-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0542-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015912153

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/31/2015

CONTENTS

Chapter 1     The God Who Creates Us

Chapter 2     The God Who Is Right On Time

Chapter 3     The God Who Knows Us

Chapter 4     The God Who Prepares Us

Chapter 5     The God Who Orders All Things

Chapter 6     The God Who Sings Over Us

Chapter 7     The God Who Calls Us By Name

Chapter 8     The God Who Battles For Us

Chapter 9     The God Who Gives Us Peace

Chapter 10   The God Who Watches Over Us

Chapter 11   The God Who Provides For Us

Chapter 12   The God Who We Can Trust

Chapter 13   The God Who Gives Us Rest

Chapter 14   The God Who Brings Exceeding Joy

Chapter 15   The God Who Hears Our Prayers

Chapter 16   The God Who Is Faithful

Chapter 17   The God Who Never Leaves Us

Chapter 18   The God Who Completes Us

Chapter 19   The God Who Ordains Our Days

Chapter 20   The God Who Heals Our Heart

Chapter 21   The God Who Comforts Us

Chapter 22   The God Who Is True To His Word

Chapter 23   The God Who Is Father To The Fatherless

Chapter 24   The God Who Loves Us Unconditionally

Chapter 25   The God Who Sees Us

Chapter 26   The God Who Deserves Our Praise

Chapter 27   The God Who Calls Us His Own

DEDICATION

To Todd, Joshua, Jacob, Netanya, Noah, Tabitha, Skyler, Ava and Emma. There is no greater honor to me than bearing the name wife, mother and grandmother. I am blessed beyond measure to share this wonderful thing called life with each of you. I love you today, tomorrow and always.

FOREWORD

Have you ever struggled to feel valued, accepted or loved? Maybe you’ve known what it is to be betrayed or abandoned. Maybe you simply have felt alone and isolated. All of us find ourselves in seasons and moments where we long to be loved and accepted, valued for who we are. We thirst to be a part of something more significant, something bigger than ourselves and greater than what we can accomplish alone. We wonder if our lives matter and if there is a bigger purpose in all the pain. Wounds, lies or even subtle comparisons have caused us to draw conclusions about ourselves (and others) that are simply off-point and in many cases a flat out lie.

God never intended for any of us to go it alone. He purposefully brings people into our lives who can teach us to draw closer to Him. God is constantly at work adjusting our vision to align with His own and using the insights and lessons He’s taught others to help us along the way.

This is where Dana Stone has often intersected the lives of so many people, including my own. She has helped many overcome pain by introducing them to her best friend, Jesus Christ, and revealing His heart to rescue, restore and even adopt each of us. The first time I met Dana I knew immediately that she was special. She had an uncanny ability to put others at ease and a servant heart that practically glowed with love. She made others feel seen, heard and understood. She quietly went about the business of investing in the ministry of Gateway women, always making herself available for a divine encounter or a spontaneous moment of encouragement.

Over the years of our friendship, I’ve had a front row seat to watch countless men and women quietly draw near, sit down at her knee and wait to receive encouragement, counsel and even revelation. We have often laughed and said that there must be a people magnet in her desk side chair. Throughout the day people appear, sit for a moment with this sage, and then arise to go on their way. Each one comes for something different. Some need reassurance, some to find salvation, some to have their gifts revealed and some to overcome feelings of rejection, isolation or loss.

When you hold No Longer an Orphan: Never Abandoned, Never Alone in your hand, it is as if you are pulling up a chair at Dana’s knee. This is not just another feel good read or how to book. Dana’s been through some stuff. You will relate to her. She’s authentic, trust worthy and transparent. Each chapter will take you along on the journey of Dana’s spiritual growth and the story of her beautiful daughter Netanya’s miraculous rescue and adoption.

With careful attention, Dana will reach into the depths of her love walk with Christ and pull out the perfect pearl or two of God’s love that will speak to you. As you move through each chapter, Dana will reveal another dimension of His love and character. As you discover the beauty of His personality, experience the fruit of His love and begin to walk in His gifts, you will come to terms with who you are, how you are fashioned and what makes you unique and special. As they take root in the depths of your own love walk with Christ, you will be healed.

I encourage you to pull up a chair and open your heart to whatever the Holy Spirit wants to teach you through Dana’s life. I pray that your own story of rescue, redemption and adoption will unfold before your very eyes and that as you read, the Holy Spirit will show you places in your heart that need His truth, His touch and His love. I believe you will be challenged, inspired and led to a greater understanding of the multi-faceted heart of God toward you. When you know Him more fully, then you will see yourself through His eyes. His eyes never lie. You will know that you are never abandoned, never alone.

Jan Greenwood

Pastor of Gateway Women, Gateway Church

Author of Women at War

Psalm 139:1-11

"You have searched me, Lord, and You know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue, You, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before, and You lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,

even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to You.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful and I know that full well."

THE GOD WHO CREATES US

Psalm 139:13-14

For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.

CHAPTER 1

You did what? rolled through my head as I tried not to shout it out loud. My husband Todd had just walked in from work and casually announced, "I called the Gladney Center today to order a packet on international adoption. It’s time to go get our daughter. What do you think about that?"

I had waited for this moment for so long, and now that it was finally happening I almost couldn’t believe it. Trying to curb my excitement for fear he might change his mind, I cautiously asked, "Oh, really? What made you do that?"

What a silly question! I knew exactly who, not what, had caused this 180-degree change in my husband. I stood there looking at him; amazed at the gift God had given me eleven years earlier. Here was a man that knew me better than anyone else. He knew exactly who I was, and he loved me unconditionally. As my heart burst with joy and appreciation I couldn’t believe what a miracle it was to have him in my life.

Todd and I met at Texas A&M in the fall of 1981. At that time I was a totally broken person. Although I had been raised in a pretty typical home I always felt alone in the world. My father was an army man, and we moved often during my childhood. I never had the chance to really take root and establish lasting friendships. I lived in a tightly structured home with little outward demonstration of love or affection. Responsibility, order and respect were the values that permeated everything we did and said. As children of an officer, my brother, sister and I were raised to be seen and not heard. As the youngest child, I spent a lot of time alone playing in my room or reading.

My dad’s military career was his life. The men he commanded and served alongside were his family. He was gone more than he was home for much of my early years, and when he was home there seemed to be an invisible wall that made any type of emotional connection between him and us very difficult. He never quite understood how to invest himself into the lives of his children.

My mom had her hands full trying to raise three children on her own most of the time. The responsibilities that went with being an officer’s wife kept her very busy and left little time for anything besides the basics when it came to family life. My parents were kind people and did the best they could, but nurturing was not their strong suit. I knew they cared about me, but I never felt of much value to anyone. I tried for years to gain my father’s love and approval but was never able to get past that invisible wall that separated him from the rest of our family.

When I was fifteen, we moved from California to San Antonio, Texas. Daddy had been assigned to Ft. Sam Houston, and for the first time in my life we were going to live off post in our very own home. We arrived in San Antonio on my fifteenth birthday, and I started high school the next week. I felt terribly shy and insecure, especially since once again I would have to find my place and make new friends. I knew first appearances were important, so I made sure that my outfit for the first day of school was perfect. I got on the bus that day wearing my California inspired mini skirt, only to quickly discover that in Texas midi skirts were the latest fashion statement. I stuck out like a sore thumb those first two weeks until Mom could find the time to get me some new clothes. It was definitely not the way I hoped to begin my high school years!

Daddy ended up retiring from the army the next year, and that decision allowed me to attend the same school all four years. I found a group of friends, got involved in a few school organizations and for the most part, had a normal high school experience. What most people didn’t know was that I still felt alone. Even in the midst of thousands of screaming fans at a typical Friday night football game in Texas, I felt invisible. I wanted so badly to know I belonged and to feel seen and heard. It just never seemed to happen.

I was accepted to Texas A&M my senior year. I was excited to be following in the footsteps of my older brother and sister and become a Texas Aggie. I hoped this would allow me to finally find my place in the world. That summer I started dating my very first boyfriend. I always went to dances with guy friends in high school but never had an actual boyfriend, so to have one now was pretty exciting. For the first time in my life I felt like I mattered to someone. And the fact that he was a year older than me and already in college made me feel even more special.

He was a nice enough guy and we had fun together, but my longing to feel loved and valued by him was violently shattered one weekend during a camping trip. The trauma of what he did to me left me broken physically, mentally and emotionally. I lost all sense of who I was. I was so ashamed of what had happened that I never told anyone. I didn’t seek out help or counseling and without that critical support, a piece of me died inside. I cried myself to sleep almost every night for months, but put a smile on my face for the outside world. I decided that somehow I must have deserved what had happened to me and even continued dating him for several more months. In an attempt to make sense of what happened, I made a tragic decision to believe the lie that my role in life was to be seen and not heard. I determined that the only way I would ever receive the love and acceptance I so desperately sought was to have no voice at all.

So I arrived at college as a young woman seeking love