Our Story...Part I

How refreshing it is when you look back and see the how a few of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. It always causes me to stand in awe of the Father. Some of you may know our story and some may not. So, for those of you that don't, the following paragraphs will allow you to look into the window of our lives. While it's tough stuff to deal with, I feel compelled to share our story. It's always important for something to be learned from your situations and circumstances. Equally, sometimes it's for someone to learn from your situation and circumstance. After all, if you don't have purpose for your pain, you just have the pain, and nothing to show for it. Let's begin, shall we?

January 7, 2007 2:08 a.m.

In May of 2005, we began a journey of a life time. We started the adoption process and looked forward to the addition of a new family member in the upcoming months. The wait time was a short 5-7 months for referral. We were logged in Oct. 21, 2005 and I don't have to tell you what happened with the wait time. It was at that moment that time began to nearly stand still. We received the referral of our precious Jadyn on March 5, 2007, traveled as a family in May 2007 and brought Jadyn home May 19, 2007. It was during that wait time of 2 years that my family experienced many ups and downs such as the death of my Mother, only 2 months after beginning our paperwork. It was a tough time, but it was only going to get tougher. It was also during this time of great pain that we began to watch our oldest son, Seth, pull away from his relationship with God and begin to live in rebellion. After some very difficult times, he moved out of our home out on his own, where we had much less control. With Pat being a pastor, we have lived in a fish bowl most of Seth's life. And, of course, the rumor mills began to crank out those rumors. Many of which were just blatant lies. Imagine that, the enemy using lies and the people that spread them, to bring you down. What a novel idea!

We had always planned to take both Seth and Zachary with us on our trip to China, but with Seth's growing rebellion, we had made the difficult decision to leave him at home. We explained this too him. He didn't like it, but understood. Again, in spite of the anticipation and excitement of seeing our daughters face for the first time, it was dampened by the situation going on around us. Even with the joy of our impending referral, it was a dark time.

Fast forward almost 2 years. We began to see God working in Seth's life, little things here and there. Comments he made, things that he did etc., were demonstrating that God was turning his heart toward Him. Pat and I really had to mind our own business, and allow God to mind Seth's business. We made the decision to give Seth a list of guidelines that he had to follow to allow him to go to China. He did these, all of them. So, after much prayer, we decided to let him go with us. We left May 8, 2007 China bound. On May 13, 2007, we witnessed the beginning of a transformation before our very eyes. We traveled to Jadyn's orphanage on that day, a day that I must say for obvious reasons, it changed all of our lives. But, a miracle happened that day. I watched as my 21 year old adult son knelt down beside a little girl in dirty clothes and in a dirty walker with snot dripping off her chin, and and ever so gently wipe her nose and face with a tissue he borrowed from one of our travel group ladies. Seth has always been very caring and gentle, so I was moved, but not surprised by his action. Little did I know, I was watching as God was transform the heart of my child, before my very eyes. Seth was very moved, and left in tears after visiting with "the least of these" that the Bible so plainly talks about. It was a life changing day for us all.

Again, fast forward. Tonight, as a family, we drove to the airport in Nashville and watched our 21 year old son, go through the security gate alone, to board a plane bound for Malaysia - to serve as a missionary there for the next 6 months with YWAM (Youth With Mission). We were met there by friends and family, who were there to see Seth off and be support for us. After returning from China, Seth begin to sense a calling had been placed on his life to return to Asia to demonstrate the love of God to "the least of these". We watched him move back home, begin college again and complete the semester with 3 A's and 1 B (and he was MAD about the B), spend time EVERY day with God, work full time, and live a God honoring life.

During the 2 year wait for Jadyn, I questioned MANY times God's plan in this all. Why so long? Why were we going through these things? Why was God not answering my prayers? and so on. Looking back now, I see so many pieces of the puzzle and how they fit together. And what I see, is on a small part of the puzzle. And, as I sit here tonight at 2:08 a.m., unable to sleep, because my first born son is somewhere on a plane bound for Taiwan and then on to Malaysia, I felt an overwhelming prompting from God to share our story. As I was replaying the events of the past 2 1/2 years in my mind, God reminded me of something. "This adoption that I lead you to was not about you, and it wasn't about a little girl living in an orphanage in Fuling, China, and it wasn't about the transformation of Seth, it was about Me and My glory - all the time." This journey is not about us, it about a much bigger plan - one that is life changing and transforming.

So, whatever the reason, God had me share this with you. Maybe you are in the middle of a storm with a child that is rebelling, God has a plan. Maybe the crushing feeling of increasing wait times has you feeling defeated, God has a plan. Maybe you are wondering how this adoption will change your life, God has a plan. I don't know, but God does. We think we have it all figured out, but what we know barely scratches the surface. God used a little girl with a runny nose to bring a 21 year old to say "I just want to share Jesus with people". You never know what the impact of this journey that we are all on, whatever your journey. I am so very grateful that the Master Artist is making all things work together for good.

Pray for Seth, as he spends the next 6 months sharing God's love with others. He will be in Malaysia for 3 months and then spend the next 3 months in another location. He will seek God's face on where he is to go, but it will be somewhere in South Asia. I have a link to his blog from my blog, should you want to follow his journey. But mostly, I just ask for your prayers - for his safety and that he can effectively communicate the transforming power of the gospel to the people of South Asia.


(I wrote this in wee hours of the morning after taking Seth to the airport. It was one of the toughest times of my life. But, seeing God work through this, made it easier to bear. Thank you for praying for our family)

Amy