A few weeks ago I followed a link from a link from a blog I read regularly and discovered A Place Called Simplicity. Since then, Linny has been such an inspiration. At the same time that I was discovering Linny's testimony, I was in the middle of both the Love Dare and the 40 day Spiritual Journey to a more generous life. God was working in amazing ways in my life! I found people living and blogging about God's generosity at the same time that I was reading his word as expressed through these two studies. But there's more.
While all of this was happening, God kept putting little signs up all over the place that seemed to be telling us we were not done with the journey to an adoption in China like we thought we were. Back in 2006 we submitted a dossier for a NSN adoption in China, expecting to travel in early 2007 to a new daughter. While we waited I made a baby quilt, with a map of China on it. In 2008, the wait stretching from months to years and years, we withdrew our dossier from China when we adopted from Taiwan for a second time. We believed at the time that the door to China had been closed for us. All this time my China quilt has waited on a shelf above the sheets and towels. Back in August I tried to get in touch with a woman I'd met during the wait, who was finally traveling to China for her daughter. I thought I'd give her the quilt. But I never heard back from her. I tried again in October to reach her, but still no response. Earlier this month I was lamenting the fact that I hadn't heard back. The quilt still sat in our closet and I was so eager to send it along. Out of nowhere my husband said, "Maybe it's not supposed to go to her." I looked at him, surprised, and instantly, without either of us having to say another word, realized we were at that moment both hearing the same thing from our amazing God - that quilt is for our daughter who is in China.
Not too many days later I found her on a waiting child list. We sent off an email of inquiry just before midnight on a Friday night. And with that, doors started to open. So many things have happened in the last two weeks that I could fill a year of Memorial Box Mondays, but I'll save them for another post. To God be the glory!
Lynne,
ReplyDeleteThis story just blesses my heart! I am a mama to five, three who have left the nest, and two "littles". Our youngest, Theadora, came home from China when she was three. Like you, I found her on a "waiting child" list (after many years of praying and waiting)--and then God took over in an amazing way. Our "Teddi" girl has been home for two and a half years now. I love that the Lord used your quilt to speak to you as a couple--He is good!
Blessings on your journey to Faith!
Tina
Praise God and congratulations!!!
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