What if seems to be a question many of us ask when we feel a leading to step out in faith. But the "What if" is many times filled with doubt and fear not faith. As a family, we have been challenged to look at our life and ask, "What If". Not what if God doesn't come through, or what if we fail, or what if something terrible happens and so on. But we have been challenged to ask, "What if we say yes" to what God is asking us to do and step into His destiny for our lives? What if we are obedient and step out in faith and see God do AMAZING things and change our lives and the lives of many? We are challenged and are stepping out into something God has placed on our heart....again! :)
The last year - to say the least - has been a very challenging year. We know for many people it has. For us there has been a great sense of feeling unsettled, a little lost. We have continued to press into Him and have continued to put our hands to the plow and work and serve. Our pastor always says "when you don't know what else to do...do what you know to do until you know what else to do". This has been our motto for the last seven years. It has been the word that God has used to light the steps of our path because we have not known what else to do.
But within the last year....it seems as if there was something more going on....something we just didn't understand. Our dear spiritual dad and friend, Pastor Joel McGraw told us something years ago, that the Lord reminded us of recently. He said "Sometimes, like the Eagle, the Lord puts thorns in our nests in order to catapult us into the next thing He has for us." He proceeded to explain that when we're comfortable...sometimes we won't step out to do things God is calling us to do, so God places thorns in our "nest" and makes us uncomfortable so we'll spread our wings and fly.
Looking back at the last year....We believe this is what God has done with us. For over a year...Buffi has fought the thought that God was telling us we needed to adopt a little boy. She kept this inside for over a year. God kept bringing it up to her....but she kept pressing it down and basically saying...that's not our plan...we're done...don't want to do that God. But everywhere she turned...God kept bringing it up to her. She couldn't shake it.
So in December 2011, Buffi came to me in TEARS. She didn't want to be disobedient if this was what God was saying. She proceeded to share what she had struggled with for over a year....that she had been prompted to tell me that we needed to pray about adopting a little boy. I was INCREDIBLY SHOCKED at this. If you know Buffi....you know if she actually says this...it is definitely something to pray about and not quickly dismiss. :) (Its a stretching for her)
So we took the time of prayer and fasting in January to pray and seek God concerning this. She and I both did. We needed God to confirm this. At the time we were considering domestic adoption through DHR/Foster Care. Because there are SO many children HERE who need families.
After the fast...neither of us spoke to the other about it. We both still needed confirmation from the Lord. We felt God was leading us...but just needed to feel a release and had not felt that release yet.
Then, out of the blue...we received and email from a lady in church. She just wanted to let us know God put us on her heart. She was praying for us concerning adoption. A little taken back by it...we emailed her and asked what exactly was she praying for concerning adoption with us. After all, we had not spoken to very many about what we were praying about. Her reply was like God's words piercing our hearts. She said bluntly, God had put it on her heart to pray for us concerning adopting a little boy. We were floored...but KNEW...it was God's confirmation.
Within a day or two of getting her email...we also received an email from
Lifeline Adoption Agency with a list of boys who needed adopting from China. At that moment...we felt release. For some reason...God has placed China in our hearts. We know there are so many children in the US that need families...and we were considering this...but for some reason...when China was brought into the equation...we knew that was what God was saying.
It would be SO much easier and a LOT less expensive if we went domestically...but we don't know the whole picture. We don't know the whys of God's leading...we just know His leading.
SO....with that LONG STORY...we wanted to let you know we have turned in our application to adopt a little boy from China. We NEVER DREAMED God would have us walk this way again...but it so resonates in our hearts. We want to be obedient...no matter how daunting or overwhelming it may seem. We know that God gives provision for His vision. As our pastor says...this probably isn't even about us. Its about what God is doing in our KIDS hearts through this...about what God is doing in others hearts as they see God's faithfulness through the process. We are just vessels who want to be obedient.
We would appreciate your prayers for us as we walk this journey again. We were told it would be 12-15 months (going through Special Needs). Of course, we know how that goes and it could definitely be longer. Anyway....we need lots of prayers for Gods provision through the process. We KNOW He is faithful though. He's done it once for us and He'll definitely do it again!!
PLEASE join us on this journey! Sign up to receive email updates and continue to pray for each step of the way. It is exciting when you allow the miracle possibilities of "What if" to flood your mind! We cannot WAIT to see what God is going to do....and we cannot wait to meet this special little boy He has chosen for our family!
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