Over the three days, I got into a habit of starting my conversations with, "What's your story?" Again and again, I heard God's faithfulness recounted. I heard how a longing to have a child or to adopt a child turned into a kingdom plight, involving and proclaiming the gospel to so many more.
Ministries started in Uganda, Zambia, Russia, Georgia, and right here in Birmingham, all because God began women and their families on a journey, and they obeyed.
Four years ago this month I sat in a Lifeline office. Jamie and I had just had our third son, and we wanted to adopt, what we thought would be that year or the one after. But as we sat in the car that day after our meeting, we prayed this wouldn't be just about a baby, but that the journey would change us, change others, make us long for Jesus more.
Four years, 10 foster children, many, many more friends, stories, passions, and dreams later, there is no baby or adoption yet. But, the journey has changed us. We long for Jesus as never before. Our hearts break for this world and its heartache. Our dreams are so much bigger. Our house is messier, calendar more crowded, hearts more broken, but we're more alive than ever before.
I sometimes caught myself over the weekend, envying another story. But as I talked with new friends, I was reminded that each of our stories is being written to bring HIS kingdom to earth in a way that only our story will. Our resources, homes, families, longings, have all been intricately designed to bring His glory to earth in a way that only each of us can. Who would want to rob that by longing for another's unfolding story, while missing our own tale of coming alive?
Not me. I've tasted what He can do, and I don't want to go back.
Pretty cool stuff coming in only 4 days!! Get excited :)
Loved spending time with you Catie! Thankful we had 2 carrides to talk!!
ReplyDeleteGirl! I'm hoping you'll be at the Women's thing on the 8th. I love your blog! It's so encouraging!
Delete