January 2010

1-18-10

We just completed a “Lay Renewal Weekend” at church. It was an opportunity for believers to be refreshed and renewed individually and as a church. We spent several hours in small groups sharing our hearts for ourselves, our church and our community. At the end of the weekend we had a sharing service. Many friends and fellow church members shared how God had touched them personally through the weekend. What a blessing it was to participate.

I was sitting by Dale and feeling an urge from the Holy Spirit to share what God is doing in our lives. This church family has known us since we were kids and many of them are like family to us. Dale leaned over and asked me if I was feeling what he was. We both knew it was time to tell it. Dale got up and went to the microphone. I cried as he shared his heart and our story of how God led us to know we will adopt.

After the service, friends from all over the church came and offered us their love and prayers. It was a special day for all of us.

1-1-10

We are certain that the path we are on is God’s will. However, we don’t know any details and it’s not something we are ready to share with those outside our family. Today we knew it was time to tell our parents.

First we told Dale’s mom. She has an apartment on our home and we had lived together for 20 years. It was important to let her in and let God start preparing her heart. We all went to her apartment and told her we had some news. She has a child-like look about her when it comes to surprises. It was obvious she couldn’t imagine what news we had to share. Dale told her we were adopting and explained that we didn’t know when but that we knew it was something God has in our future. Although stunned at the news, she was unusually peaceful, and by the end of the conversation, excited at the thought of another little one running around. She had lots of questions we didn’t have answers to. But it settled in on her quite easily.

We then drove to my parents and told them we had something we wanted to share. Something about telling my parents made me emotional. I knew I was experiencing another moment I would never forget. They were stunned but thrilled at the thought of another grand-daughter. They too had lots of questions.

We explained that we knew we were searching for our daughter in another country. That gave them some concern. We talked about the challenges and illnesses that third-world countries pose but everyone settled knowing that God’s will would lead.

It felt good knowing that our parents were praying for us.