The first few times I was going to write about TShirts. Can I tell you something? We never, ever expected for our shirts to be a big fundraiser. We were prayerful and hopeful that we'd sell enough to pay for purchasing them-and maybe a little more. Then, an offer was made to pay for the ordering-so we could just make profit off of them. Blessed. Amazed. Then people started asking about them so, we thought maybe, just maybe, we'd sell the extras we purchased for the 5K. Well, we've sold so many more than we expected. God likes to do that. Give us more than we expect when we fully rely on Him. We quickly realized we needed to make a second order-and thought we'd get the minimum of the number needed for a reorder. Well, we well surpassed that. Completely amazingly overwhelming. So blessed. You know what other amazing thing is starting to happen? We are starting to see people in our shirts. Starting to see them when we drop Addilyn off at preschool, at church, playdates, and life group. Addilyn had a friend over this week who needed to "wear my Africa shirt cause it's for Addi's brother" Even other four year olds are learning what Africa looks like and loving our baby (brother or sister) already. One of the little girls I babysit wore hers to our house this week. I cannot begin to tell you the gratefulness that is put in my heart each and every time I see someone wearing one of our shirts. I don't know why exactly, but it makes me want to give every single person I see wearing it a hug each and every single time. And being that I'm not a very outwardly emotional person (or a hugger really), most people would be a little confused. In the last two weeks, I've had multiple texts and conversations with people saying they wore their shirt and so many people asked them about it. They got to talk about us and our African love all day long. To all kinds of people. It's so much more than a tshirt. You are showing us that even with our crazy plans for adoption-this road we've chosen that many don't understand-you support us and are praying for us and I am so amazingly humbled. It's also helping us picture our sweet love in all these normal everyday places. Not just in an orphanage somewhere in Ethiopia. Every shirt we see is making it a little more real. I know having all these emotional connections to a green tshirt is silly. Chalk it up to adoption emotions. Every bit of real as pregnancy hormones, apparently. Thank you thank you.
The next few times I was going to write about one of the most amazing phone calls I've had-probably ever will have, except the phone call telling us we have a child on the other side of the world and to check our email to see pictures and paperwork. I don't know how to write this to convey the sheer joy and awe we have in Christ for this. I know the person on the other side of the phone call really doesn't want a big deal made of this. But, it is a big deal. And, God deserves some major credit here. So, here's my attempts at explaining the most amazing, Christ filled phone conversation I've had.
Psalm 96:3
Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.
I read a lot of different blogs. Especially adoption blogs. I LOVE hearing other stories of how God creates families. In adoption circles, you'll likely hear "if God calls you to do it, He'll provide" in some form. I always read it. Always believed it. But was totally ok with God providing even if that meant we went into debt for our adoption rather than a second car for awhile. I was prepared for that. I knew not everyone's story was as pretty and easy as "we are fully funded" in tons of time before we needed to be. But, that's what we are. You read right. If we were to receive a referral of one child tomorrow- we're good. Everything. Plane tickets. Visas. In country medical exams. Let me reframe all God has done. I want to publish HIS glorious deeds among the nations. I want to tell you all about the amazing things HE does. We started this adoption with $4,000 in savings. With one income. As a Pastor. We don't make much more in a year than adoption costs. But, we felt a deep calling to adopt. We'd been praying about it for years, thinking about it, dreaming of a multi-racial family. With all our praying, our reading, and researching we really felt it was time to start, now. So we jumped in. The peace that we felt over our 'reckless' decision was God given. We knew it. Because neither of us had done anything reckless before. We are preparers, list makers, planned people. Not reckless. But, here we were, making the most reckless decision we ever have with the most peace and calm we have ever had. Then, God does all kinds of amazing things. Tshirts. Garage Sales. Scentsy Fundraisers. completely unexpected checks in the mail and over PayPal. Jewelry Party. The most humbling of experiences through our Hand-in-Hand grant. I still can't quite believe that's real. Then I hear "We want to pay the rest of your adoption fees. We want to get you fully funded if you get a referral for one child. How much do you have left that you need?" "Are you sure?!" I asked. "We are so so excited God has us be a part of your story. He could have helped you with this a thousand ways. But we get to help! He has chosen to use us and we are so humbled and excited." I think I said thank you. I think I asked "are you sure?" again. I'm pretty sure I entered shock. Grateful, completely humbled, amazed shock. After hanging up, I text her to make sure I said thank you. This was her reply "Seriously, thank Jesus. It truly comes from Him. Not even our money." I'm still in shock. I still don't know what to say but Thank You. Thank you thank you thank you Jesus. Thank you each and every friend, family member, and stranger-for prayers, thoughts, questions, and for financial donations of every size. For texts of excitement with us. I can't begin to say thank you enough.
Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?
Who can ever praise Him enough?
Psalms 106: 1 & 2
That's how I feel. Lord, I praise you. I can't even begin to list the miracles you've done just in this adoption. Much less our entire lives. There will be hard times ahead. Knowing who my baby is and knowing it could take nearly a year to get them home will be hard. Teaching a child how to attach and love while learning a new language, new life, new everything will be hard. Helping my new child understand what life is like in a family is going to be hard. Teaching my two biological children how to love and accept a new family member that might be having a hard time will be hard. But, I will continue to praise you. Because your faithful love endures forever and I will never be able to praise you too much.
