Adoption on the Brain

I am adoption happy this morning!!!! Last night we had a Women's Night at our church. My social worker Amy came to speak about Orphan Care. My friend shared about their journey of adoption. It was an amazing night in which the Lord brought glory unto Himself!

I have been wanting to introduce you all to my friend Karen. They are getting ready to adopt from Eastern Europe. Their journey has been miraculous to watch. Never did I think the Lord would call them to adoption, but I know nothing of the ways of the Lord. He knew what He was doing all along last year as I would desperately call Karen to pray for the next step in our journey. She stood fast beside me praying her little heart out for our adoption! She cheered me on and cried with me. All the while the Lord was working in her heart...but she didn't know it yet. Then last fall we got together to make applesauce. OK here's the deal...she asked me about 42 times if I would come make applesauce with her. I kept giving her reasons why it wasn't going to work. I was still struggling with losing our boys and waiting on the Lord to reveal who we were suppose to adopt. Finally I just gave in because she wouldn't leave me alone! :) (that is said in a nice joking way) Anyway...there I was crabby as all get-out (what is "all get-out" anyway?...ah sorry, my ADD gets the best of me at times like this) Anyhoo, finally she started talking about how did I originally start talking with Matt about adoption!?!? It was at that point I immediately put my knife down and I looked up at her and said, "Are you thinking about adopting?" We both broke into tears and I realized what the whole applesauce rendezvous was really for. I was incredibly humbled by the Lord for how ridiculously I had been acting about making applesauce. I considered myself spanked! Karen hadn't talked with her husband yet about what was going on intensely within her. I joined her in praying for the Lord to prepare his heart...then I said, "I'm not too worried about Lee, if the Lord wants you to adopt...He will bring Lee's heart to that!" I *knew* that He was going to move in Lee's heart. So here we are months and months of dossier preparation later on her part and now I introduce to you Karen my newly blogging friend! Please follow their journey to their two precious children half way around the world!

And now back to last night...I was so completely encouraged! There is just something about being an adoptive mama sitting and listening to someone speak so eloquently about adoption. It does the heart good! But now this morning I sit here in tears...because of how great God is. This week I had been praying for the Lord to prepare the hearts of those that were coming. I had no idea who He was going to bring to our church last night. A friend of ours from a different church came...and God is doing an amazing thing in her heart! He is leading them towards adoption! I can't tell you how elated I am to watch Him bring glory unto Himself through their journey. I am in tears because of how amazing it is to pray and then to see the hand of God so tangibly. He hears us and moves to the hearts of our prayers! Please follow Sam and Sarah's journey and see the Lord manifest Himself!

As an adoptive mom it is so exciting when we see a friend step out in faith in adoption. There is a significant amount of support and encouragement from one adoptive family to the next. If you visit their blogs please encourage both of these families with your comments. I am so excited to be here with both of these friends at different stages in their journeys. God is so amazingly good!!!!!!!