Lukewarm

Friends - my heart is full, my head is swirling with thoughts. We had our SDA appointment - this is where we met with the officials in charge of adoption files in Little One's country. At this appointment we talked to a social worker to get the official referral for Little One.

The appointment went very well - we were asked a few questions and given information on Little One. Some of it we already knew but it was the things we didn't know which we found out today, that have left my heart broken for a tiny little child I have yet to meet. I love this baby girl as if she was born right out of my body. Beyond a shadow of a doubt we know God showed us His heart for orphans and for one child in particular. What happened in the past with Little One will remain in the past. We only move forward, praying the Lord will continue to guide us and lead us to the point we can bring her home.

And the cold, hard, harsh fact is - SO MANY CHILDREN have a much similar story as Little One. They ALL need a mama and a papa to say YES we will go. YES we will embark on something that seems impossible and crazy to others but is in perfect alignment with what God has directed us all to do. And that is why we said yes.

He didn't ask us what we wanted.

He has commanded us to GO.

We are not Little One's Savior. He is. We are simply here to bring her into the fold of a family, to love her, to never, ever let her go. To spend the rest of our lives showing her our love for her will not end. We are not here to bring a child home which we hope to change - we accept her for exactly how she is.

As I have said all along - it's not about us. It's about Him. Continually following his commands even when we can't see the road in front of us.

Trust.

We are not "extreme", "extraordinary", or believe what we are doing is a radical thing. So many times I asked God "why" is this happening to so many children - why is there this crisis? So many children unwanted, unable to be cared for. WHY God? Ahhh...but God asked me what I thought people on earth should be doing.

What we need to be doing is continuing to open our eyes and hearts to what He has already shown us is important. It's right there - in words, numerous times in the Bible. He said it over and over - care for orphans, needy and poor. 

Its so easy to hear the stories and feel sorry for children then go about our daily lives - until you get here - till its right here in your face.

I have been reading the book Crazy Love and something stuck out today - this passage -

 "Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call "radical" what Jesus expected of all His followers."

Folks...I laugh because Eli and I are the epitome of average.

 And we are here. Opened hearts. Opened eyes.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" James 1:22

I am not saying every single person is in the position to adopt. But we can all do SOMETHING. I pray more will rise up and ask God to show them what He is commanding them to do. I am sorry if this sounds harsh - but it's truth. For too many years our own family lived in a shadow of believing material things were most important and that others who did wonderful things were extraordinary Christians who must have been "called". We were "lukewarm" people. I am thankful God opened our eyes and brought us to this place.

We pick up our referral letter tomorrow and head out to Little Ones region on an overnight train. More to come...keep following! Soon we will have pictures of HER!