We have had Ellie in our arms for twenty one days. We traveled many miles and our hearts have traveled to depths we never dreamed they would. God has knit this little girl's heart in the depths of ours and he has broken our hearts wide open in the process.
When God calls you to step out in faith to adopt he doesn't promise it will be easy but he does promise that He is faithful. There will be blessings far greater than you could ever imagine.
The need is huge, 147 million orphans in the world.
It is easy to look at faces ....
... or deep into the eyes of an orphan when they don't have a name.
But when they have a name ......
everything changes.
I have heard from many in the last weeks that God is stirring in hearts. And while I know adoption isn't for everyone if God is stirring in your heart take the first step in obedience ... maybe it is getting on your knees to pray or maybe just filling out that first form. Take the first step and let him open doors he wants you to walk through but you can't walk through if you don't take a step.
Maybe he isn't calling you to adopt but maybe God is asking you to help another family financially, support a child in foster care. Maybe God is breaking your heart for the orphans and asking you to get on your knees in prayer for them. What ever God is asking of you, take the next step.
I can't imagine missing out on this sweet little blessing and everything that God has revealed to us along the way!
"The truth is, I was born with a plan. I wanted life to be safe and predictable. My plan was to marry someone with a nice nine-to-five schedule and have a tidy, organized life -- everything under control. Absolutely none of that came true! And if it had -- if I had lived the life I thought I wanted -- I know I wouldn't have experienced the grace or the miracles of God in the ways that I have. What I've found is that it's in the most unlikely times and places of hurt and chaos that God gives us a profound sense of His presence and the real light of His hope in the dark places." -- Mary Beth Chapman, "Choosing to See"
"The truth is, I was born with a plan. I wanted life to be safe and predictable. My plan was to marry someone with a nice nine-to-five schedule and have a tidy, organized life -- everything under control. Absolutely none of that came true! And if it had -- if I had lived the life I thought I wanted -- I know I wouldn't have experienced the grace or the miracles of God in the ways that I have. What I've found is that it's in the most unlikely times and places of hurt and chaos that God gives us a profound sense of His presence and the real light of His hope in the dark places." -- Mary Beth Chapman, "Choosing to See"
9 comments:
Very well written. We continue to pray for Ellie and your family and also for the hearts of others to listen to what God has planned for each of us...
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
~ Proverbs 3: 5-6
So very true..so beautiful...so wish God had a plan for "1" more for us:)
Praying for you today.
Amen Friend!!!!! When He calls, and we follow, He equips!!!!
Love,
Diana
Funny I should read this post. My husband and I have recently been considering canceling our adoption plans... Why? I feel tired. Very tired. My mom was quite sick for 6 months of this year. My parents are getting up in there years. My sister is very ill in the hospital now with Pancreatitis. My sweet Viv needs so much of my support to reach her God given potential. I married later in life and become a mom at 34 yrs. I am beginning to think that adding to our family was the 'plan' or 'vision' that I liked to day dream about but perhaps is not God's plan for our family. If it were, wouldn't I feel that it was with certainty? I am a bit sad that my vision doesn't seem to fit with the way life is unfolding for me, but perhaps it is time for me to accept that adopting is not part of our calling as a family...
oops, "there" should have been "their". wish I could spell check my posts before I hit post!!
Thanks for this, Julie! I don't know what the Lord has planned for us, and we know He doesn't have anything else for us "right now", but He has been working in our hearts. So thankful that you guys followed Him all the way to your Ellie!
Julie-beautiful post. We are in process and before we started I could not sleep--i obsessed about all of these orphans. After praying for weeks my husband and I decided we were in-the moment we started I had complete peace about our decision. It's been incredible so far to see the changes in our family and we don't even have a referral yet!
Who are the two little ones in this post? Are they orphans now??
Hi Julie,
It's been a while since you posted. ...I am anxious to see more pics of ur beautiful Ellie smiling at home!! Hope all is well. ...BTW, we have not thrown the towel in on our adoption plans completely. Hubby and I are in agreement to stay the course and see how we feel close to our referral time (we have been logged in since 7.22.2009, so referral is a ways away. But our hands and hearts are full with Viv, so we are content with the long wait.)
Beautiful post Julie. So thankful your daughter is safely home with her family. What a beautiful, sweet, sweet face.
God's blessings,
Daleea
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