Where it all started (part 1)
Have you ever felt God call you to do something big? Like out of this world, over the top, completely insane, out of your comfort zone, can only be done by an act of God, BIG? This is our story of that kind of BIG!
Over a year ago we began to pray for guidance, knowing we longed for a second child, but having no idea what direction God would lead. We began praying fervently for an open door to the journey He would have us go on. I knew immediately my heart would be drawn back to international adoption and so we began researching agencies we had past experience with. A few short months of research and we had settled on an agency to move forward with. With an impending move from New York to Nebraska, we knew the process would take a back seat until we got settled.
Summer passed and we settled into our new home. We were excited for what God had ahead. Within months we would we come to find out we didn't meet the requirements to adopt a child from China (thats a blog for another time). We explored other international countries and the doors just kept closing. Thinking perhaps God had other plans, we began to research domestic adoption agencies in our area. As hopeful as I was, I can honestly say the peace just wasn't there, as if my heart knew God had something else ahead. After contacting 23 different adoption agencies across the United States it became evident that God, did in fact, have another plan. We were unable to find an agency taking new families into their domestic adoption programs. Now if you have ever been in the adoption world you will understand how UNHEARD of that truly is. I'm fairly certain if God could have come down and told us in person "This is NOT my plan", this is about as clear as it would have been!
We were at a complete loss. No China, no domestic adoption process, no baby. Not once in 10 years had I felt so completely numb as I did in those first few weeks of January. We began to pray for a miracle and committed to the Lord that we would be open to anything He had. No sooner did we get out the AMEN, then a message popped up on Facebook from my precious friend and fellow adoptive mom, Casey. She shared about one of the agencies they had adopted through and offered to connect us up. She explained the agency had a new program to Niger. Not knowing what God had ahead, and seeing no open doors at the moment, I was happy to have Casey pass our information on. The more Casey shared about the country and the program, the more my heart began to hope for the possibility. Only moments into the conversation my world would turn upside down with a single picture! A little girl from the home in Niger. Her precious face and those eyes...oh those eyes that spoke volumes. My heart began to beat heavy, could this possibly be the door and how?
In the weeks to come God would make it so clear and we would be set on a whole new journey!
