hope

I am an emotional wreck, and I am NOT pregnant... :) God has been crazily stirring in Joel and my heart for these past 12 days, since the earthquake in Haiti. I cannot even explain the wide range of emotions that I feel. God has revealed Himself in so many ways.

Joel and I have felt called to adopt since the summer of 2008. He laid it on each of our hearts, individually. We finally realized the other felt the same way while leading/chaperoning at youth camp. It is a calling that I am excited for, yet scared to death of. We do not know where He wants us to adopt from or when the process should be started. We are just waiting, trusting, and hoping. We are so excited for the story that God has laid out for our lives and the lives of our future children.

Joel and I went to a "Give Hope for Haiti" benefit concert this past Thursday night at Ecclesia. We met some amazing people and heard some amazing stories. We have been reading the blogs of several families who were/are in the process of adopting from Haiti. The majority of children who were in the process of being adopted prior to the earthquake are getting to come home due to humanitarian parole. We met Debra and Ernest at the concert. I have been reading her blog about their Haitian adoption process for a while. She and her husband and other three children are still waiting for the word on R boarding a plane to come home. My heart strings are pulled for them in ways I never knew they could be for people I barely know. I cannot imagine the emotions they are experiencing. I just know that in Christ, His children can have hope. He knows what He is doing, and His timing is perfect.

There were two main organizations the concert was raising money for. The first organization was "I Am Change", and you can find out more about it at iamchange.org. The second was Real Hope for Haiti, a rescue center in Haiti run by an amazing family. You can follow their blog here. You can also buy a "Help Haiti shirt" at helphaitishirt.com, and all of the proceeds go to Real Hope For Haiti, the Livesay family and Heartline (an adoption agency).

This post also comes with so much joy. Several families welcomed their awaited Haitian children home today. Jamie and Aaron Ivey finally welcomed home their son, Amos, after 2.5 years of waiting. Story, their daughter, came home from Haiti about a month ago. Joel and I have been following their blogs for a long time now. God began stirring in Joel's heart a little over a year and a half ago as he read and followed the Ivey's adoption story. I do not personally know Jamie or Aaron, but God has used their story to touch Joel and me in ways that I cannot express. Aaron released his music video "Amos Story" about a week ago. It is a song/video that makes me cry every time I watch it. Prior to Amos' homecoming, I cried with yearning. Now that Amos and Story are home, I cry with thanksgiving, joy, and amazement at God's faithfulness and timing.




Our Lord is perfect. His timing is perfect. His ways are perfect. He alone gives true joy, peace, and hope. I know that it is in His plan for Joel and me to adopt. I wait with hope for our beautiful story to take place.