We're Expecting!!!!

The two words I have been longing to say for SO long....we're expecting!!! Our journey to live out God's plan for our lives in starting a family has been one of ups and downs but one that has brought us to places in our relationship with Christ and with each other that we could have never imagined. Through our trial, God has taught us that it is in the suffering that we truly grow closer with his Son and we learn more of what love truly is. Love is suffering. Just look at the cross. The most ultimate gift of love to humanity. We have also learned what it means to turn inward, towards each other in the midst of pain rather than away. Our society today screams, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". But over and over again, the bible shows us a God that turns ever more towards us in our times of trial. We see Christ in the garden of Gethsemane...in the midst of immense pain, turning towards God in prayer. So over the past six plus years of marriage and twelve total years of being together, whether we be on a mountain top of joy or in the garden on our knees, we have learned to turn inward towards each other and our eyes to our Father in heaven.

So...let's get to that mountain top of joy, shall we? Yes, you have heard it right, we're expecting! We're expecting to adopt through an agency called, Gladney and we can't be more thrilled. It is something that has been on our hearts for so so long and we're actually taking the leap of faith and trusting in God's calling and the deep desire to adopt he has placed on our hearts for years. Honestly, I can't really tell you how it exactly happened that we take this leap of faith but a few months ago I was praying about our future and the possibility of adoption that Matt and I had always kept out hearts open to and it dawned on me pretty clearly...God calls...no, commands us to care for orphans over and over again in scripture. Matt and I desire to adopt...what's holding us back? I will tell you....finances. Adopting through an agency whether domestic or abroad is incredibly expensive ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $45, 000. But one day after prayer it dawned on me that the fears that I was believing in were not who God is. A God that doesn't provide for us isn't the God I believe in... I believe in a God that says, "I am the good Shepherd" John 10:11.

The Good Shepherd tends to his flock, cares for them, provides for them, even lays down his life for them. That's my God and I was tired of believing otherwise. So from that moment on I heard the voice of my Shepherd and I had a real faith in Christ, the Good Shepherd. Sure, I have had quick moments of insanity since, where my fears get the best of me...but overall, over the last few months, I have had a real and divine sense of peace about the financial aspects of our adoption. Sometimes I think God has given that sense of assurance to me so that I can really focus on the other aspects that I may have some difficulty with especially after our experience with adoption before.. I truly believe that God will provide the finances for us to adopt and I truly believe He will bring us the baby that He intends to be our son or daughter for forever. This road will be long and I am certain in won't be easy (although, I'll take easy for sure!) but I know that through it all, Matt and I will grow ever more closer to each other and to Christ. And one day a little tiny baby will have parents who will love them and teach them of our awesome God, the Good Shepherd.

                                                       Photo taken by our sweet sister-in-love, Christi Hamrick