Encouragement From a Stranger

Isn't it amazing how our world is so big but yet so small? Shortly after my last post, God provided encouragement in a most unlikely way. I've been following a blog of a young woman who lives in Uganda and has become a mother to 14 orphaned children. Her blog is on my sidebar. It's the one titled, "On Earth as it is in Heaven." Well her story is amazing and challenges me. The other day I decided to comment on her blog for the first time. A few days ago, someone who had read my comment on her blog contacted me by email. We started corresponding and today very soon after having my small breakdown, I received another email from her. She had been catching up on my blog and discovered that we both live in Alabama. That may not seem like a big deal unless you consider the fact that we met through the blog of a person who lives in Uganda. In our next email we learned that she and her husband currently live in the same county where I was born and raised! Turns out that is where her husband was born and raised as well!!! It's very likely that our paths have crossed over the years. We are making amazing connections!!!

The thing that I love the most is this...I haven't shared it here before, but I believe that God has international adoption in our future. So many things seem to keep pointing in that direction, and I really believe that it is God who is leading us in that direction. I don't think this is just me trying to ease my pain after having lost three babies. Wesley and I have committed to wait one year from Joshua's birth before making any decisions about the future of our family to give ourselves time to heal physically, emotionally, spiritually, and so that we can be still and listen to what God wants for us. While waiting, both of us have developed a burden to adopt a "waiting child". I heard that term for the first time several months ago, and it broke my heart. (I'll save that for another post.) Back to how this connects to my new friend, she and her husband are currently in the process of adopting two children for Ethiopia. Coincidence? Hum, I think not. And would it surprise anyone out there to know that Ethiopia is a country that has been mentioned to us before???? or that we've consider adopting two children at one time?????

The timing of all this today leads me to think that God is giving me just a little glimpse of how he plans to bless us in the future. Of course, we will continue to seek Him. Regardless, I'm so grateful to Him for how He blessed me today. He provided me with sweet encouragement from a someone who was a stranger just a few hours ago. Simply amazing!