Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Faithful

For those who might not know, November is National Adoption Month! And one year ago today we submitted our application to adopt our forth child. 

In spring 2016, among a small group of friends, my husband and I both felt that we were being called to adopt from China for a second time. At the time, I was struggling. I was suffering from undiagnosed chronic pain and years of insomnia, and I already felt so overwhelmed. The idea of bringing home another child, and adding a forth to our family at that time seemed like a great deal more than I could handle. But God kept whispering that He is faithful. He is faithful. And so I recounted Ebenezer stones and remembered the truth of that. He is faithful. And so I asked Him, if you are calling us into this, please answer three prayers. 

I prayed that he would bring healing to my tired body, and give us what we need to love and welcome another child.

I prayed that He would give us a name for this child to help us connect emotionally with her.

And I prayed that he would help us with the costs since we were starting with nothing saved. 

God promised to us His faithfulness in all of this, and it’s just blown us away in how He has been faithful in that promise of faithfulness. ;) He gave us her name (which is a REALLY cool story we will share once we are matched), and brought healing for my pain through a doctor that finally LISTENED and found solutions.  

And though we decided to not ask for donations (aside from donations for my photography work), our entire adoption costs have been covered!  First, our families gave in very generous ways, and he brought me photography work to help raise funds. Then, it hailed. We repaired the roof on our home, but we left our barn roof (which I still to this day cannot see the damage) unrepaired. This brought us a check for $5,000, as if God rained down money from the sky for us (I’m only half joking)!


Not long later, we were very casually handed a note from our dear friends, who lost their 10 month old daughter Evy to a sudden illness three years ago. With the note was a jaw-dropping check. They wanted to give to us the remainder of the gifts they were given when Evy passed away (minus $1 to keep the account open) to provide for our adoption. We were so completely shocked, incredibly humbled, and just in AWE of our friends and our God. We honestly were struggling to accept it, but after sharing a sweet and still-in-shock phone call with our friend Anola, she encouraged us to allow God to do His thing in this way. With this check our adoption expenses were now covered. Through the life a sweet baby girl we never met, God was helping to bring home our little girl who we have not yet met. I just feel like these little girls are connected now in a Holy way, and I know one day when they are together in heaven they will be the sweetest of friends. 

And now we are just left with saving for our daughter’s medical expenses (she will have some level of special needs, though we will not learn the details of that until we are matched with her), and for our unpaid maternity and paternity time. And once again, God is providing. Again, when we thought he was done (ha!), He is continuing to show us that He is faithful, even in these details. We received an email from our friends who run a non-profit coffee business called The Village Roastery. 100% of the profits of their amazingly good coffee (fair trade, and organic!) are given away for orphan care. This month for Adoption Awareness Month, they are giving the proceeds of their coffee sales to our family. And another friend is hosting a Noonday party in a couple weeks and supporting us with the sales! We are beyond blessed and grateful. 

We know we are adopting a little girl with medical needs, but we don't know her age yet (we are only requesting that she is younger than Lainey who will soon turn 5) or what those special needs might be. In the midst of our process, China has been changing their matching process. Because of this, the process of matching is stalling out to a near halt as the new way is instituted (it will go back to "normal" in the new year sometime). Because of this, we likely have a lot of waiting ahead of us yet before we will be matched and see our daughter’s face for the first time. 

And we know that she is waiting too. It’s hard. We’re feeling a bit weary in the not-knowing and yet knowing that she is waiting. But God showing up in these ways has been such an encouragement to our hearts that He sees us, and that, more importantly, He sees HER. He’s making a way for her to have a family again. To be a daughter and a sister and a friend. We can’t wait to tell her about this awesome God of ours who loves her fiercely and has shown His faithfulness to HER, even in the darkest and loneliest of times. His is faithful!

5 comments:

  1. Love you and your precious heart Jess! Can’t wait to meet this special, chosen, little girl! ❤️
    Love ya-Chrissy

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    1. Love you Chrissy! :) You're such a sweet friend.

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  2. So sweet! It is so amazing to see God’s faithfulness play out through people as long as we are obedient to his gentle whispers! I am beyond excited to see who God has chosen for you! - Beth

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    1. Love you Beth! We have learned so much from the way you and Adam live your lives and love people. So blessed to call you both our friends.

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