Compelled

There is a little girl on the other side of the world. There are many such girls but this one grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. She is 7 and living in an Asian orphanage. Because of a handicap, she lives her life sitting in a wheelchair or laying in a bed. I first saw her almost 2 years ago and thought her adorable. I knew her diagnosis but that was all. I prayed that God would bring her a family.

God continued to move my heart with His compassion and I knew I needed to do more than pray. One year ago I spoke with a lady who had traveled to her orphanage and met her. She thought the home would prepare her file if they knew a family was interested in adopting her. Though I didn't know what God's plan was, I was compelled to speak up for her and commit to finding a family or being that family. I was told by an agency that the home had started a file for her.

One year later, after another group visited her and the home where she lives, I was told her file had not been started. I was frustrated and upset. I had hoped that while her file had been worked on so had her family's. My family had begun our home study in case we were that family. Now she would have to wait longer. My only consolation is that I had prepared a gift for her and had sent it with the team  to let her know she was beautiful and loved.

I, in turn, learned a little more about her. She  is well spoken, likes to draw, and is unafraid of strangers.
What does her future and ours hold? I don't know and it is enough that I am following the path God is leading me on. It may involve an adoption of a sweet girl, or heart ache or something completely unexpected; yet I am confident of this: God will use these moments for our good and His glory.

We Are Expecting

I am writing this to announce our FAMILY'S plans to adopt our 7th child. We have waited while our home study was completed and now that we are almost finished I feel it's time to "DECLARE WHAT IS TO BE."  So, what are we expecting?

WE are expecting there to be doubters, naysayers and those who won't understand what we are doing.
WE are expecting mounds of paperwork and duplicates.

WE are expecting to tell every detail of our lives to people we don't know, and to give proof of all of our life  circumstances and have them scrutinized.

WE are expecting delays and obstacles.
WE are expecting to feel like We are on the edge of a cliff.....and God telling us to take the next step.

BUT WE ARE ALSO EXPECTING......

GOD to show us HIS heart and to grow ours.
GOD'S plan for a CHILD to be revealed.

The JOY that comes from following GOD'S direction.
MIRACLES that can't be contained.

GOD TO BE GLORIFIED.