Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Break Our Hearts for What Breaks Yours!


Oh my, where do I even begin with how this prayer has impacted our lives?! It is has changed everything...and we are so thankful!

Last fall, God led me to Kristi's blog, and He started to reveal to me that this was His plan for our family as well...to bring home our baby girl from Ethiopia! Well, I had never seen a family that had adopted from Ethiopia before God leading me to their blog. Honestly, I don't think I even knew you could adopt from Ethiopia. Before I came to Jody with what God was laying on my heart, I emailed Kristi to ask her if she knew of any families in Mississippi who had adopted from Ethiopia. She did not, but she included something in her email that God used to changed our hearts forever.

This was the last line she wrote in her reply to me, "keep me posted...and May God keep breaking your heart for WHAT breaks HIS!!"

That line hit me so hard because I realized that was EXACTLY what God had been doing to my heart for the past 4 months.


He was breaking my heart for a baby girl who would be born in Africa, but would come home to Mississippi to be a part of our family...our fourth child, our third daughter.

So, on the night of March 17, 2010, I came to Jody and told Him what I believed God was calling us to do. We watched Lucy Lane's Gotcha Day video together, and then I showed him the email that Kristi had sent. Jody was not sure at all that adopting from Ethiopia was God's will for us, BUT he agreed to pray about it. And we both agreed to start praying that simple, yet life-changing prayer..."God break our hearts for what breaks Yours!"

We started praying. And everything changed. Our hearts began to break for orphans like never before.

You see, early in our marriage before our three kids were born, we used to talk about how one day we would adopt a baby girl from China. We have wonderful family friends in my hometown who had adopted a baby girl from China...she is now a beautiful teenager! But then, life happened, and 3 kids came in 3 1/2 years. The word "adoption" was not mentioned again. When asked if we were planning on having more children, we were both very quick to say those infamous words, "We're done!" We were done having kids, our hands were full, and our family was complete.

But here's the problem with that statement. WE decided that we were done. We never asked GOD what HIS plan was for our family.

We are just so thankful that He began to stir our hearts once again to adoption. We're so thankful that He began to break our hearts for orphans. We're so thankful that He has called to our baby girl, Caroline Faith.


We're so thankful that He did not leave us as orphans. He adopted us as His sons and daughters when He sacrificed His one and only Son. "He chose us in Him before the creation of the world." (Eph. 1:4) Isn't that so amazing?!

And now He has allowed us the pure JOY of being on this journey to the daughter He has chosen for us! Oh, it just overwhelms me when I stop and really think about it! Thank you, Jesus!

God walked with us so faithfully through every detail of the paperwork process, all bringing us to that wonderful day that we got on the waitlist for our adoption agency. September 17, 2010 ...EXACTLY 6 months to the day after we started praying this prayer together, "God break our hearts for what breaks Yours!" My heart is filled with peace knowing that September 17, 2010 was the perfect day that He chose to put us on the waiting list at #93 to align us with our precious daughter!

When people ask how we decided to adopt from Ethiopia, I always have a one word answer, "GOD!" This is all about HIM. I pray that He is glorified in every step we take.


And look at who's name is on this shirt!! Yep, that's our sweet Caroline!

I still pray this prayer. I pray that God will help me to love like HE loves, and that He'll continue to break my heart for what breaks His!

"...for in You the fatherless find compassion." Hosea 14:3

12 comments:

Kelly Jo said...

Great post!! Wow, 3 kids in 3 1/2 years...you were one busy momma!!

Unknown said...

Alison - beautiful Post. Thank you for sharing! ♥

Susan said...

We started the adoption journey in 2005. We found out just after our homestudy was done, that we were expecting our first child. Three years later we had a daughter and shortly after she was born, I saw the Lucy Lane gotcha day video. So with my daughter only weeks old, my husband and I started the process of researching countries, agencies, etc. Our daughter is now 14 months and we just finished our homestudy. We are now headed to Ethiopia to bring home our son....well as soon as we can go:)
Thanks for sharing.
Susan

Mama Mimi said...

Wow, beautiful post! A total tear-jerker! =) Beatuiful story...but so much MORE than a story, a CALLING!

Carrie said...

Loved reading your adoption story in this post. My story is so similar to yours. Hubby and I always talked about adoption, but then we had three kids in four years and we too were done. Our journey started this summer with Lucy Lane's video. At first, hubby was skeptical. But God broke his heart like he had broken mine and now we're working on our home study! God is so very good! :)

Kristi J said...

oh, what a beautiful post...You have the gift of writing!!! You said all that so well..and I could SO relate to every single word!!! So love our girls being next to each other on that shirt..God is in every detail!! :) kristi

Kelli said...

Love to hear how God moves. What an amazing God we serve!

Kevin, Kara, Kolton, & Kannon said...

Hey Alison! I just saw this video and thought of your precious story of Caroline Faith! Not sure if you have seen it or not...it is of Steven Curtis Chapman's new song "Meant To Be." I just had to share this with you!
http://stuffmamaslike.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Wow, incredible! I remember hearing those words in a song when I was pregnant with Molly and we had no idea what God wanted to do in our ministry! We prayed that prayer and we ended up in Milwaukee 2 months later! Great testimony of your family!

erica said...

I remember my husband and I selfishly saying that we were done having kids after our fourth child was born. But God definitely changed our hearts, and I am so thankful! Every time I think back to the period of time when God was calling us to adopt, I just get goosebumps. He showed us so many things, in such a short time. He is so good, and knows far better than we do what we need and what is best for us. Thanks for sharing!

Christy said...

Wow, I saw this shirt and the name and thought it was someone else's child. How cool that it's YOUR sweet Caroline!!!! :) Now I want one. :)

Stacy Rogers said...

I love to hear how God puts adoption in each of our bloggy hearts. Each journey is unique and wonderful. Glad that we are on this journey!