The Home Stretch

 Today as we began our journey to bring Bryant home, I think back to how God has led us to this child. To hit the rewind button, a year ago we decided to put our house on the market thinking we would capitalize on the decline in the housing market and upgrade so to speak.  After a few months of the stress we decided that it just didn’t feel right maybe we were pushing too hard and this wasn’t what God intended for us. We began to pray about it and ask God for answers. After the birth of our first child, Sara Kathryn, Jeff and I had begun to talk about the idea of adoption. Over the years we mentioned it often, researched it, had contacted an agency and began initial discussions, but it seemed the babies kept coming and life happened if that makes any sense. Every time I would hear an adoption story it brought tears to my eyes and I longed to do the same. But I thought how could we ever do that, so many obstacles. 

 Jeff’s aunt and uncle adopted two children from Russia when we were engaged and at that time it planted the seed in my heart.  We have been lucky enough to see Natalie & John grow with lots of love into the beautiful young adults they are today. So we knew if we were going to adopt it would be from Russia.

 Last March, we were in the midst of praying and asking God to show us what he wanted us to do with the house situation and again we had brought up the idea of adoption. We were studying the book “Radical” by David Platt in our Sunday school class.  In summary, it talks about how we need to get back to the mindset that the Gospel is for every nation and determine that we will take the message and share his love, at any cost, to those in need.  As we read chapter 4, we literally became overwhelmed with a feeling that words simply cannot describe. What we felt, what we heard that day were the answers to our questions. It was GOD answering our prayers for guidance and providing to us the sign. It could not have been any clearer. As a Christian we often wonder how God speaks to us, will we even know when it happens? How does it happen? This is the very first time in our lives that we have felt this way! I am speechless when I think about it. Not only is it the message that we read that day but it is a culmination of events to follow; our sermon on Sunday, the fact that we had missionaries in our class and at our church talking about spreading the word to all nations and most important sharing that love. We felt like God was spelling it out to us exactly what he wanted us to do. We truly felt that we have been blessed with so much in our lives that it would be a shame not to share it with a child in need. A child we could love and give a wonderful life.

 We met with our awesome pastor to discuss all of these feeling and what to do. I was so confused and scared. My biggest fears were how adoption would affect the girls and how we are going to travel and logistically do this. I have a fear of flying; yes I am the one with sweaty palms squeezing Jeff’s hand until it is black and blue and sometimes with tears in my eyes. I am the person that jumps at turbulence and screams “we’re going down.” Now I have flown over 20,000 miles in the past 7 weeks. I would have laughed if you had told me that a year ago. I also worried that if I knew this was what God wanted me to do and I ignored that call what would happen. Would I be disobeying God? Well I knew in my heart I would be because I knew this adoption was his will. All of my fears were just excuses, if he wanted it and I followed him it would happen. He would make it happen. So I said Heather put your big girl panties on and do this. Jump in and follow God, really follow him where he leads. Give up your control and do what you know is in your heart.

So here I am ready to go pick up my son with a big smile on my face. Oh how happy I am that I listened, believed in him and followed. I am going to pick up an amazing little boy who I can't wait to hug and kiss. My motto through this adoption and what keeps me going is “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”  Gotta go jump on a plane to Moscow.

Heather

Here are some pictures of Bryant’s nursery. Completed last night at 1:00am.