God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks through his Word. He speaks in a gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. He speaks through other people. Often it is a gentle whisper, guiding us in a direction he chooses but sometime, He speaks loudly, as if with a bullhorn.
God recently has been speaking to me in all of these ways. About five years ago, God called us to adopt. One year and a mound of paperwork later, Dennis and I were in China meeting our daughter, Brooklyn. Even while we were still in China, we knew we wanted to adopt again. While visiting the orphanage we saw the faces of so many children in need of a family. Our hearts were overwhelmed at the need and we could not help but reflect on James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Little did we know at that time that our world was about to change. Three months after we adopted Brooklyn, Dennis was diagnosed with brain cancer. He fought a 32-month battle and during that time left behind a legacy of faith in God’s plan for his life and love for his family. Even during his illness, we would talk about our hope to adopt again. When it became clear he would not beat this cancer, he and I discussed the possibility of me adopting once he was gone.
In the year since Dennis has been gone, I’ve entertained the idea of adopting again. I have felt the tug at my heart to do this. Many times I would find myself looking at the profiles of children who were waiting for a family. God in his quiet way kept speaking to my heart. A few weeks ago he used a bullhorn to tell me this was His plan for me. I was getting ready for church that morning and thinking about how God had used a sermon to confirm our adoption of Brooklyn. I thought/prayer, “Wouldn’t it be cool if God used a sermon to confirm if I was to adopt again?” At that point, the Holy Spirit impressed on my heart to add, “Today.” I’ll admit, my thought was more along the lines of, “Not a chance!” So I went to church and the bullhorn sounded. My pastor’s words went something like this, “Don’t give up on your God given calling, like some of you have been called to adopt.” I could not believe what I had just heard. I knew in my heart this was God’s confirmation of His direction in my life.
My next step is to follow God’s leading and trust Him with this journey. I’m in the early stages of the process to adopt a school age child from China. Please keep me in your prayers in the weeks ahead. I'm already busy with paperwork. I have submitted a packet of papers to my adoption agency, started the home study process, sent in my passport for renewal, made appointments for physicals...a lot has happened in the last week. God is faithful and will bring this to completion in his time and way.
Please prayer for Brooklyn and me as we prepare for this addition to the family. Although I don't know yet who will be my daughter, God does. Please pray for her as well. This will be a huge change in her life.
