God speaks... at a concert

(The above picture is of Steven Curtis Chapman on his way home from adopting one of his girls.  The guys in the picture.....  I have no idea!)

God used the void in my heart of never having a sister.  He used it to direct my love to little girls in China that have a bigger void, no family.

But, even though my heart would melt every time I saw a little (live) China doll, and even though I talked about adopting all the time, in the deep recesses of my heart, I never really believed I'd do it.

Why, because I had seen the price tag to adopt.  $18,000-$25,000!!  And, while God has blessed us beyond measure and has always provided above and beyond, the fact remained that we didn't have $20,000 lying around.  My mom was right all those years, money doesn't grow on trees. Shoot!!  To further complicate matters, we do missions/campus ministry work and live on support.  The last time I checked there weren't too many missionaries topping the Forbes list!

Fortunately, God is persistent.  When he lays a desire on your heart, it doesn't go away very easily.  He manages to sneak his messages in all over the place and the very thing your wrestling with seems to pin you down.  I lost this particular match at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert.  I didn't buy a ticket to the concert nor did I have any intention of going.  My good friend Amber, however, 'happened' to have an extra ticket to see ol' SCC.  (Her husband wanted to stay home and watch an IU basketball game.  By the way, my friend Amber is so good to me and I totally do not deserve it.  She is always blessing me.  Last year she GAVE me two tickets to the American Idol concert.... on the floor!!)  Anyway, SCC is a huge advocate for adoption.  He has adopted three little chinese girls himself.  I am sure he speaks about adoption at all his concerts, but that particular night, he said these exact words when speaking about the financial end of adoption, "I have often found that if you just start, God will provide the money."

Now, how in the heck do you argue with that???  So, I left this concert and rode home on the clouds.  I was believing God for the money, I was excited and pumped up.... for about 24 hours!!

Then I went back to being the poor missionary wife with no money, no hope and certainly no little baby from China.

Oh me, of little faith!!