I have been formulating this blog post in my head over and over since the Fearless Conference on Saturday. Then life happened.
We came in Tuesday morning to the heartbreaking news of a coworkers passing. It was sudden and that daze that hovers over you in those moments stuck around for quite awhile. We are processing through this loss emotionally and professionally, it just all takes time. As I told my instagram friends – this loss has really made me feel the weight of salvation for those around me. Only after chatting with others did I get a grasp that our dear Lena did know Jesus. Shouldn’t I have known that? Shouldn’t that have been conversation I would have had over the past year? We aren't talking about someone that emails about business occasionally, this was a woman that sat right outside my office. I saw her every day.
Talks about salvation should roll off my tongue but today it sits heavy on my shoulders.
The Fearless Conference was another one of those heartbreaking realizations. As Christians, we are all called to Orphan care in some way or another. Not everyone is called to adopt or foster a child but we are called to take action. Did you know Christians out number Orphans by SEVEN to ONE.
That number still pierces my heart.
7:1
I used to think adoption was for people who weren't able to have kids of their own. It was used as a last resort. Every single person/family that spoke on Saturday had, or were able to have, children of their own. None of them came to adoption as a last resort.
Instead, they came to adoption through Christ.
My heart and mind are still processing through all that was said Saturday and happened this week. One thing I am positive of – God calls us, all of us, to move and act. We are his hands and feet.
Jen Hatmaker spoke a lot about international adoption and the hardships kids face when being pulled from their country, tribe, land, language, etc. There is a huge need to educate women, provide essential medicines, along with food and clothing so that these families can stay together. Currently, Ethiopians don’t really adopt Ethiopians – why not try and match these children with homes in their native land?
Again, I am still trying to make sense of it all in my head and waiting for God’s plan to pan out.
There are so many things I feel like are in limbo at the moment. So many times God has told me to just wait as of late. And so today, with my jumbled thoughts and broken heart – I will wait.
“Wait for the Lord, be STRONG and take heart and wait for the Lord” Psalm 27:14
All pictures taken in Uganda by my best friend Lauren
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