Oh, the Joy

Once upon a time there was a mama of 4 girls.

She was happy and content in her world of baby dolls, hair bows and polka dot tights.

Then one night she was aimlessly surfing her agency's website.....

when her heart literally skipped a beat.

Her husband sleeping, she called her friend in Florida..

"I think i'm looking at my son...." 

This mama was scared....A BOY???!!
Lord!! What would she do with a boy???

Her best friend would tell her, "there's something about the way a boy loves his mama..." and 

she would listen, but not fully understand.

Until Monday, December 6, 2010, in Guangzhou, China.....

In the International adoption world, a female child under the age of 3 is still the most requested child across every county and continent, including the United States. In 2011, for China, there were 1,888 females to just 699 boys (http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/statistics.php), adopted and brought home to their forever families. 

With a shared list of literally hundreds of waiting children in China, the overwhelming majority of them are male. When little girls come to agency lists, the emails come pouring in.....and young boys with minor needs sit.

And wait.

Simply because they are boys.

Now hear my heart.

When the Lord called us to adopt the first time, we knew it was a daughter. It wasn't written in the sky or spelled out in black and white, but we knew. 

We had barely recovered from jet lag when the Holy Spirit began to convict me about my willingness to follow HIS plan for our family, or mine....and it took me digging into His Word, and continually, daily, laying my plans on the alter and and offering them as a sacrifice. 

Sometimes, we just have to be willing for this adoption thing to not look like we thought it would. 

Lord, did you call us to adopt a daughter.....or a child?  

 Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

 If you're on this adoption road I'd challenge you today to seek deep the heart of your Father. Be willing for the end not to look like you planned it would.
Perhaps it will.
Maybe it won't.
But rest assured....He knows *exactly* what you need.

Even when you didn't realize what was missing.

Psalm 133:1

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!"

*Shepard, Jude, and Judah pictures courtesy of Steph at Nihao y'all and Anna at AnythingbutLokey and K&RPhotography