Recent God Sightings (Part 2)

I had this sweet image of W in my mind-- his huge, sparkling brown eyes and his dazzling smile.  The words of several adoptive moms who had met and played with W personally on their trips to Haiti kept playing through my mind.  They described him as "joyful, smiley, playful, sweet, affectionate, etc."  My odd visceral reaction to his picture the first time I saw his face also lingered in my mind.  What was happening here?  What was God doing?  I was being so careful about getting "emotionally involved" before we had total peace and confirmation from God to move forward with this adoption.  Yet I needed confirmation.  Eric and I both desired confirmation that would give us the confidence to sign onto this journey with no turning back.

God had already been opening doors for us.  He gave us several scripture verses in our "seeking phase" which encouraged us to keep moving forward.  Through the words of songs and sermons and special words of insight from close Godly friends, we were also encouraged to move forward.  The sense of peace and rightness of this path was growing every day.

Yet I was tempted to doubt.  I would have God's peace one day, then prickles of doubt might trouble me the next.  I had to keep surrendering W and his adoption to God.  Each time I did, His sweet peace took over.  Still I asked God for confirmation that would break through my weakness and humanity.  He is such a gracious and loving God...that's exactly what He did...

#1  One day in early April I was at work  at the coffee shop talking with my co-worker and friend Shannon, who also happens to be the store manager, a great family man and a pastor.  I was soooooo wanting to tell someone about our intentions to adopt W (because it was still a secret!) and I thought Shannon would be a good choice.  I respect and admire his walk with God...and I knew he wouldn't get all giggly and gossipy and spill the beans or anything.  In the kitchen over a sink of dirty dishes, I began to tell the tale.  But wait--in came a customer--I went out to make her drink.  A couple minutes later I returned to the kitchen to continue the story.  I showed Shannon a picture of W on my phone and said, "Eric and I are going to adopt this boy". 

Before I could put the period on the end of my sentence, Shannon jumped into the air, slapped his knee and shouted, "I knew it!!"  He then handed me a piece of paper on which he had written the word "adopting".  While I was out front serving the customer, Shannon had written the word "adopting" in a note pad.

I was feeling strangely excited and confused.  Shannon explained, "For almost 2 weeks now, God has been having me pray for your family--because I felt that you would be adopting again, adopting a little boy!"

Oh. My. Word!!!  Seriously??!  Ok God.  I see that you are speaking to me here.  With Shannon's amazing revelation, God blew one of my socks off!

#2  On that very same day, I was messaging back and forth with one of my new friends who is adopting a little boy from the same crèche (orphanage) where W is.  She is one of the moms who has met and played with him and really cares about him and his future.  As we were chatting she says, "I just realized where you live!!!"  She said that one of her friends lives in our same city...and is adopting a little boy from the same crèche where W lives...and happens to be one of W's very best friends!!! 

Oh. My. Serious. Goodness!!! 

In all of the countries and in all of the cities that these Haitian sweeties could have ended up in,,,God is choosing to place two very good friends in the very same town!!!  Amidst all the changes that a child experiences with international adoption, God is maintaining that precious connection of their friendship.  How good is He!!!

Ok God.  I got the message loud and clear.  You have blown my other sock clean off!

~~~Thank you, Heavenly Father, for loving these two children so much that you are giving them this gift, this link of friendship!  And thank you, Heavenly Father, for loving me so much that you answered my prayer and gave me not one, but two "God Sightings" to encourage me and Eric on our journey to our future son.  (insert shout of "Hallelujah" here)