Referral

We got our referral on August 22, 2011! I cannot describe to you the excitement that I had when Jonathan jumped into the living room and said, “We got a referral, come here!" I ran into the office, and of course Cole did to, and we listened as our social worker told us all about our little girl. I cannot wait until I can share with you all the stories about Grace, but they will have to wait until we get her home with us..


I want to share with you what I wrote in my journal on the 23rd. It is a prayer to God and me talking to Grace:
When we got the referral joy leaped through my soul! Finally, a face to go with the name, the name meaning favor. God's favor that I know He has bestowed upon your precious, beautiful self. To hear the story about you broke my heart, but God heard our prayers. So many people have been praying for you since the beginning. Your grandparents, (that by the way have moved back to Columbus, just to be part of your life), family, friends, and people in churches from all around the United States and even Africa and Thailand.  The timing was so amazing and God knew where you were, Grace, and He had favor on you and placed you safely in an orphanage. Grace, God has such a special plan for your life and you are His. We have the awesome privilege to be your earthly parents but God, the Father to the fatherless, is your heavenly Father who loves you so much more then I could fathom. Your life is in His hands. He named you Grace when you were in your mother’s womb and picked Jonathan and I to be your parents before the world began. Your daddy and I have such a peace about you and we are praying everyday for you. I pray that you are taken care of, that His heavenly angels surround you and keep you safe from harm. I hope He gives you dreams about us because He is giving us dreams and it makes me all the more ready to hold you in my arms.


I want to tell you about your earthly father as well. He is an amazing man of God, and you already have him wrapped around your finger. God wakes him up at night and he is praying for you and he can't wait to hold you in his arms. He had an amazing father and such an awesome example to go by. He will be there for you and will support you. He will teach you what is most important in life and that is Jesus Christ. He will show you what it means to go and make disciples, no matter how old you are. He will show you how a man should treat a woman and how you should be honored and loved, which is the same as Christ loves the church. I can already see the sparkle in his eye as he looks at you with joy and love. I see you both zonked out on the couch, tired from the park and the hot sun. I see him saying by to you as you go to your first day of school and wondering where the time has gone.  Most of all I can not wait to see him baptize you after you have made the biggest decision of your life, to follow Jesus, no matter the cost.Taking you shopping and telling you that you will not date until you are 21, because no man will be good enough for his daughter. You Grace, are a special girl and God willing, will grow up to be a godly woman after God's heart. You have the most amazing dad and I can't wait for you to meet him. We are the luckiest girls!