Orphan Sunday

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday, and Heath and I have been asked to give a brief testimony in front of our church!  While I am so thrilled to share how God has used adoption to start our family, I'm a big ball of nerves when it comes to speaking!  (Gah!!) When our pastor asked us, we both knew we had to do this because we told specifically told the Lord we would declare His goodness and glory through our story.  I told him years ago that we would share our journey of infertility to parenthood whatever the path may be.  Well, of course that path led us through the adoption, so now we'll be talking about that at church tomorrow on Orphan Sunday!  Maybe I can just be arm candy to my husband who is far more versed in speaking than I! Hahaha... No, I want to speak too, but it won't be very elegant. (I tend to get lost in my own bunny trails and the excitement of my story!) I do better talking to others in the comfort of a living room with a warm beverage in hand! But as my nerves grow God reminds me as He has before...

My beloved Leslie, 

I don't just call the equipped.

I equip the called.

Wow!  What would I do without Him?? That takes the nerves off.  He wants us (me!) to lean on Him...His Word...His ways...

His guidance in the opportunities we've been given to do His kingdom work.  It is faith in the most practical form!

This is something I learned in the process of deciding to adopt.  In the beginning I had an idea that said those who adopt are wealthy, wise, and have it all together.   They probably are perfect Christians with a Mother Teresa kind of heart, and probably missionaries in the 3rd world or something.  Certainly not an average Joe or Jane who just wants a child to love and a family to have!

Yep.  I thought there were so few called to adopt, and I wasn't sure I would ever fit that perfect description that I conjured up. 

Lies.

If God leads, then all you need is a willing heart. 

Let me tell you from experience!  When I wholeheartedly surrendered my fears to Jesus, my heart began to supernaturally grow!  Heath and I both wanted to parent whoever it was God had for our family.  Whether I would grow them in my own womb or my heart only, I was ready to love a precious child as my very own!  God was actually filling our cup to overflowing capacity so we could love in this way!

We adopted not being "wealthy" or in the most ideal situation, as we live away from family and Heath is a busy medical resident.  But God knew the timing was right, so our hearts were anxious to get started on the exciting journey to our children and we then started the home study.

It was definitely a process for me to get to the place God needed me to be to parent our children.  It began when I surrendered my own plan, and walked in obedience to His, for that's when the heart change really happened.  It actually happened quickly now looking back.  From our loss of Bailey in '09 to the failed IVF in winter of 2011 (dark days of depression immediately afterward), but our mourning turned to joy just the next year when I laid all my fears at His feet!!!  We then knew we were supposed to adopt and were thrilled to have clarity!

So tomorrow if I get on the platform with sweaty palms I'll remember the day I truly surrendered all to Him and took one of the biggest leaps of faith.  The day my plans died, He planted a seed of a greater plan that would redeem not only our lives, but a baby boy and girl who would need agape love.

Remember He doesn't call the equipped, but He equips the called!  Step out in faith wherever it is God is leading you.  There is no regrets in following Jesus Christ!!!