Following God's Call

Holly and I recently attended the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. We were not huge SCC fans, and really went to see Chris Tomlin. SCC and Casting Crowns were really just a bonus for us. I have two SCC CD's, and have always liked most of his music. I'm a big fan now.

SCC gave his family's story of how they have been blessed through international adoption. His family has three adopted daughters from China. His testimony was extremely moving to me. I have thought in recent years that we should consider adopting a child from China, but have always put it out of my head, rationalizing that our family is "perfect" just the way it is - one boy, one girl; we can just afford to pay tuition for private Christian school, etc. At the end of his testimony he encouraged the audience to financially support adoption through his foundation. An intermission immediately followed his testimony. I sat back in my chair and said to Holly, "We have to do that." "Do what?" she asked. "Adopt a baby from China," I answered. She completely agreed, almost relieved at what I had said.

We spent the next week or so in prayer over this, and feel that God is truly in this. So the process has begun. We are investigating agencies, reading testimonials from families who have been through this, and talking with friends who have adopted or are in the process of adopting from China. We are strangely at peace with all of this. We do not have the financial resources at our disposal to go through this. It will be a financial sacrifice. But God is faithful.

I will be updating our progress through this process from time to time. In the mean time, anyone who reads this blog, please do one thing: pray. Pray that God will open the floodgates for this effort, and that we will find the funds necessary to make this happen...that we will remain diligent in our efforts...and that we will continue to follow His call.

I leave with you the words that SCC wrote after the adoption of his first daughter, Shaohannah:

I know you've heard the stories

But they all sound too good to be true

You've heard about a place called home

But there doesn't seem to be one for you

So one more night you cry yourself to sleep

And drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong here

The loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in

And somewhere while you're sleeping

Someone else is dreaming too

Counting down the days until

They hold you close and say I love you

And like the rain that falls into the sea

In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

When love takes you in everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you go

There is nothing that could ever cause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong here

The loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in it takes you in for good

When love takes you in

What is God calling you to do? Will you follow Him?