Our Journey Begins

I begin this post sitting in a cramped seat on a crowded plane high above the Atlantic Ocean on our flight to Africa.  I am lost in my thoughts – contemplating all that lies ahead.  I am excited.  I am expectant.  My heart is filled with reverence tonight as I reflect on this remarkable journey and ponder all that is unfolding with each passing hour.  My mind continually wanders to the many parts of this story that God has so beautifully & intricately woven together.  Jonah and I are traveling alongside our dear friends Dave & Mary Carlson and their daughter Anika.  This fact alone - is nothing short of miraculous.  In less than one week – our Joseph and their Samuel – best friends and orphaned for far too long by circumstances beyond their control - will be brought home into the loving arms of their forever families. The mere thought of this homecoming brings a rush of excitement & anticipation to my heart.

In his powerful and deeply moving book, “Wrestling with an Angel” Greg Lucas pens these words, “you never know when or where the breeze of God’s blessing is going to blow.  Grace is like that – unexpected, undeserved, and unpredictable.”  The reality of these words resonate in my heart tonight.  We have been profoundly grateful for the ‘breezes of God’s blessings” that we have seen & experienced throughout this journey.  Above all, however, I am most grateful for the way that adoption has helped me see with greater clarity and deeper sincerity … my own deep & desperate need of my Savior.  Adoption has awakened my soul to the eternal richness of God’s promises in Ephesians 1 and Galatians 4:4-7.  It has humbled me.  It has pushed me to my knees … ushering me to a proper place and posture of complete and utter dependence upon Him (Matthew 5:3).  This is the breeze of God’s blessing that I pray He continues blowing afresh on my mind, my heart, and my spirit in the days … months … and years ahead.

We are completely exhausted – arriving at the Ethiopian Guest home around midnight -nearly 24 hours after leaving our home in Wheaton.  It is now 2:00 am here in Addis.  I sit on the front side of this journey to bring Joseph home with the words of Colossians 2:6-7 ringing in my mind as I drift to sleep, “Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith … abounding in thanksgiving.” (emphasis added)  Amen!