God's Call

When I was in high school, I felt God's call on my life very specifically in two areas.  One of the areas was to some day adopt a child and more specifically a child with Down Syndrome.  Anyone who knows me well has probably heard me share this calling on my life.

As Matt and I started dating more seriously, I shared with him this calling on my life.  I wanted to make sure that he felt like this is something that one day, he might find himself doing.  So, since the beginning of our relationship, we've always known that one day, we would adopt.

Over the last few of years, my heart has been stirred.  God has totally remolded my mindset and way of thinking.  He's been working on me.  What does it really mean to love God?  How can I honor Him fully with my life?  For so long, I was caught in the trap of trying to be perfect.  I spent so much time trying to please those around me rather than honor God with my life.  He tells us to LOVE.  Love one another.  Love your neighbor.

I Corinthians 13
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.  If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Did I love fully?  Did I give of myself until I was uncomfortable?  I started to rethink my actions, my responses and even the way I spent my time.  During this time of God working on me, my heart started thinking about adopting.  Matt and I had talked about it a number of times, but over and over found reasons why we couldn't.....our house wasn't big enough, we don't have the money, we're too busy.  We were so ready, but we felt like our circumstances weren't.  

I began praying fervently about this desire of my heart.  On many occasions, I considered pursuing this desire on my own.  Then, I surrendered this desire to God.  I asked that with His timing that He might place the very one that needed to be with us in front of us. 

Then, He gave us a piece to His plan.  We found out about a little boy with Down Syndrome that needed a home.   We prayed.  We prayed that God would move in a big way in my heart and in Matt's heart and show us what He wanted us to do.  On Saturday morning, July 20, we answered God's call.  And I cannot wait to see what God does in us and through us over the course of the next year.