God began stirring in our heart over a year ago the call for missions. Brandon and I both knew that somehow we wanted to serve Him through mission work with orphaned children. I never dreamed it would lead us to where we are today. After reading the book Radical by David Platt for the second time with our Sunday School, we both began to see life from a different angle. We began asking Him for guidance and direction for our lives more than ever before.
I have a dear friend who is serving in the mission field in China. She is serving as a preschool teacher in an orphanage. I follow her blog and we are able to talk from time to time and I began having such a heart for the children she is working with. As a teacher myself I am sucker for kids. It doesn't take me long to fall in love with them. This, however, was somewhat different! It made me ask the question why not us. Why couldn't we adopt? But it was always followed by, "Hello, what are you thinking," with a long and list of why nots. The main one being, my husband would think I was crazy and laugh out loud in my face. But as the months went on I was drawn to idea. I couldn't go a day without thinking about it and thinking if I don't help just one, then who will. One of my other coworkers and friend has an adopted daughter from Ukraine. Seeing their relationship and the life her daughter now lives really just weighed heavy on my heart. I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind and just move on.
One Sunday night after the kids were in bed. My husband just randomly blurts out, "I was thinking, what if we adopt a little girl from China, maybe two or three years old." It quickened in my spirit, "those were not your thoughts but MINE." He then began to explain how it had been on his mind for several weeks and he was unsure of how I would feel about it. Tears of joy filled my eyes and I couldn't stop smiling. We both began to talk and realized what God was calling our family to do.
"Let us run the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:1-2. So we begin our race of faith and HOPE. "Now faith is being sure of what we Hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 Many things are still unanswered and we have many more miles to go in our process but we have Faith and Hope in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hope, knowing He will see the journey which He has called us to embark through to completion. Hope, knowing we will give one little girl a chance. Hope, knowing my family will be forever changed because of our decision to follow Him.
