Chosen

I haven't blogged in quite sometime, not because my heart wasn't in it, but because I was taking time to reflect.  Everyone needs time to reflect every now and then.  As I was reflecting on the journey I kept thinking how my life is full of "next steps."  Next steps consist of ministry steps, home life steps, career and also with my personal relationship steps.  Have you ever thought about what it takes to complete the next step?  Well, this is what I have been pondering....what does it take for me to take the next step and be victorious.  As long as I pondered I always came back to one word and that is FAITH. 

I am convinced that my life is full of faith to faith steps.  God designed it this way.  I started off on level 1 and I had to believe God for what I would consider the small things.  I had no ideal that He was tailoring me to have faith for the humongous steps in my life.  Faith, "is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."  As I resight that verse in my head I begin to think about the wonderful up and down journey that Shawn and I are learning to embrace. 

When you embrace something you are encircling the item that you are embracing.  For some, I know that this journey is still a little weird.  And honestly at times it is overwhelmingly humbling.  I am humbled at the choice God has made for our life.  Because God has chosen this route for us we are learning to trust Him through the process.  The process to obtain a promise is not always an easy one, however, any thing worth having is worth fighting for.  Embracing the next step is the phase in my life that I am in. As I am embracing the next step I am totally engulffed in the will of the Lord. 

Many of you have asked "How did we end up here...at the decision to adopt." "And specifically adopt internationally?" I thought I would share our story with you.  Well, some of it. :-)  Before Shawn and I were married, we talked about the option of adopting.  I told him that it has always been something in me that was interested in helping a child that has little to no hope.  Little did we know that conversation would spark a seed that began to grow and grow.

Here we are six years later. Over the course of life's troubles and blessings God opened up the door for us to adopt internationally.  (Many people are not knowledgeable of the benefits of an intercountry adoption opposed to a domestic adoption. There are some vast differences involved.) I began to research and pray about the many countries available, and my heart was drawn towards Ethiopia.  Many people might remember the famine in Ethiopia in 1984, but it wasn't the devastating circumstances that caught my eye.   I was drawn towards the culture, their own way of living (13 month calendar year), and the vast hills and wildlife that one can find there. It doesn't stop there,  the beautiful country of Ethiopia has a rich Judea-Christan history. 

It's amazing as I started to research the country I fell in love with it....hence my blog title.  So we began this journey a little over 4 months ago. During the 4 months we have experienced many great moments and also moments that push you into prayer even more.

This week Shawn and I received news of a possible wait time increase.  At first Shawn and I were devestated. I asked a few close friends and family members to pray.  And today, four days later I feel that God has strengthened us even more for this journey.  All things work together for the good of those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.  With that said, I know that God specifically called us for this work. He has chosen our two Ethiopian jewels to travel half way across the world for a purpose.....to be saved. 

What an awesome God we serve.  He is so mindful of the smallest things!