Thankful for Un(answered) Prayers

The Miracle of my daughter is through un(answered) prayers.

All the unanswered questions of our life became the rock and sand that formed the concrete under our steps today. We now hold hands and celebrate these days of walking together. How is it that our daughter was born 5 years after we began the process to adopt her? We found each other across the years, across the multitudes, and across continents. Through all the turmoil in the world and in the struggle of life, our feet moved together in shiny shoes on  sidewalk today.

This particular moment was captured by my wife, Kellie. My mind was replaying the events of the past two days: Kroger, sleep, drive, ordination workshop, drive, Kroger, sleep, drive, preach, fundraise, drive, and Caleb's piano recital (stay awake). As for Sterling... well, she was just glad that she had a chance to move around after being held in various laps during all the preaching, fundraising, and piano recitaling.

Our hand-in-hand slow steps on the sidewalk gave our minds a chance to settle from the fray and re-establish perspective on the simple truths of a warm November afternoon. We are here in this place together now. Each step we take down this path brings us closer together in experience, and further along the plan that God has for our lives.

From this place along the road I can look over my shoulder and see the the Family-Circus-style-foot-print-dashes that mark my crazy, chaotic, and wandering path. I have driven trucks, volunteered in church, worked in mental hospitals, brokered mortgages, worked trade shows, sold shoes, trained to be a COP, butchered meat, and managed grocery stores. Memories fill my mind of the experiences along the way that unknowingly prepared me for this moment... and made me the man I am today that holds this tiny hand.

These days are beautiful. Our mission from God is breath-taking. We're finding that we love to tell our story... how adoption has changed our lives. We are adopted as children of God, we are recipients of the miracle of adoption on earth, and now we have become evangelists of God's love & agents of earthly adoption. We celebrate each time a person or a church takes our hands to walk this incredible adventure of joy with us.

There is room for you. This is your invitation to allow your heart to be filled overflowing. There are children to be sponsored, trips to be made, monthly support to be pledged, and renewed faith and hope that can change the course of your life.

I spent years questioning God and being frustrated that He wasn't answering my prayers... not realizing that He was shaping me along the way to become a holder of tiny hands. 

Wherever you are today, take heart. Your un(answered) prayers are laying the foundation of who you are to become. Come and walk with us. I can use your help to hold tiny hands.