sovereignty at work

So I had one of those crazy humbling moments recently. You know the kind that causes your head to spin and your eyes to water and your mouth to gape wide open? Yeah. I had me one of those.

To begin at the beginning, two weeks ago, I managed to cram six photography sessions into nine days. I was exhausted. Caught up, but weary.

I received a FB message from a fellow adoptive family who was returning from China. They were asking if I could meet them at the airport in the big city that Saturday night for a Red Thread Session. {RTSs are complimentary adoption sessions...at the airport, or once they are home. I've been an RTS photographer for just over a year.} So many people have given and supported Jase and I on our journeys to our sons and I am happy to provide a few of these sessions a year to other families. It's a tangible way for me to be a blessing to them.

Anyway, Jase and I were on our 2 mile walk that Friday and I told him about the request. He asked, "Are you going to go? Aren't you exhausted?" I agreed that I was and that there were a few reasons to consider not going...their flight wasn't due in until 8pm on Saturday, they would still have to clear Immigration before I could photograph them and we live an hour from the airport. So it would make for a long night.

But I just couldn't get away from the nudging to go. 

So I tracked the flight, and found out they were an hour behind. So an ETA of 8:55pm now. The girls agreed to ride with me {they're always up for some fun} and we loaded up the van, opened the sunroof and flew down there with music blaring.

What we didn't know was that Immigration would prove to move at a snail's pace that night. And it would be 11pm before this family walked through to where we were. There was a lot of standing around and waiting. Strangers looking at each other as if to ask, "Are you waiting for who we are waiting for?" Eyes peeled on the glass doors that separated them and us. And the realization that just 8 months prior, my family had stood in this exact spot waiting for us to stroll through those same doors with Gabe.

A group of four or five ladies walked in about half an hour after we did. A certain one in particular made eye contact with me. I had on a One Less Orphan t-shirt and so she figured I was "one of them." She approached me and asked if I was with a certain adoption agency. I explained that I wasn't but that I knew great things about that agency and if it weren't for WACAP, we'd chose them readily. She went on to say that they worked for said agency and that they were here to welcome the same family I was there to photograph.

We got to talking. Sharing stories and she asked me about Gabe in particular. About his special needs. Needs that I've never gone into great detail about publicly out of respect for him. They are of a sensitive nature and I want to tread lightly where his privacy is concerned. But many people who are close to us know the road we walked before he came to us, about decisions we had to make last summer. They prayed with us and trusted with us for God's best outcome for Gabe. I've just tried to be vague and more quiet here at FFA.

I did end up sharing quite a bit with this lady from the agency. She is a child advocate. And she went on to say that she was so grateful the Lord had planned our meeting that night. That they had three little boys on their waiting child special needs list who had very similar needs as Gabe did/does. She also said that many families have looked at them and stepped away....and that she wished there were some way for me to speak to some of these families. Not to talk them into anything per se. But to be a resource. And encouragement. To allay some fears they may have about these types of needs.

I shared with her that even though we have a dossier still logged into China, and one that if my hubby said, "Let's go one more time...!" I have to say a hearty "YES!" after I changed my wet underwear!...even though all of that is true, I really feel at this time that where the Lord is drawing my attention is to this very thing. To being an encouragement. Spurring on believing families to consider these precious children for adoption.

On our walk the next evening, I shared with Jase about meeting this agency advocate and what she had said about wishing I could speak to some families. And I told him that I had no clue how that could be or ever happen since we are a WACAP family and this is another agency altogether. But that I would welcome it if God wanted us to be used in that way. Jase agreed.

Fast forward to two nights later.

He and I are watching our favorite red neck show {besides Duck Dynasty}, Swamp People on the DVR when I get an email on my phone. An email from a complete stranger which read...

"hello! I have been reading your blog for a while. I LOVE your blog! I LOVE your sense of humor! And I LOVE your photography! 

I am the mom of 7 kids....the last three adopted. The latest little guy adopted from China in November. He required life saving heart surgery and by God's grace he made it through his surgery and now runs, jumps, and chases the dogs around. My heart wants to head back to China (and I pray my husband's heart joins mine!). As I was looking at photos of waiting kids this weekend...I noticed three little guys with {insert Gabe's special need here} Anyway - I don't know anyone who has adopted a child with that special need. From reading your blog - I don't know if I am assuming too much - but I think maybe your son has this special need? I am sorry if I am assuming wrongly or if I am overstepping my place and asking you about this. 

If you have any advice as we pray about these boys I would love it! If I now appear to be a crazy stalker of your blog - I am sorry - no harm meant.

blessings,
%*^#@*%^"

and then this one came after I responded...

"We live very near the University of &%+$^$* which has a FABULOUS pediatric cardiology unit. My heart breaks for all the little CHD kids...but my hubby doesn't think he can handle the stress/worry of having another child go through open heart surgery. To be honest...I hadn't really thought about being open to a child with {insert Gabe's special need here} - as the first thing that pops into my head is a child/person having hard issues. BUT I really want to be used by God/feel like I need to be open to other special need that might be out of my comfort zone. Seeing those three cuties this weekend was the first time I thought - hmmm, maybe I need to at least ask a few questions/do a little research and not shut the door immediately. You were the only one I could think of that might have some information. THANK YOU for being so willing to share!

All three kids are on the {insert agency name here} waiting child list... I haven't seen the files yet. I felt I needed to do a little more research and they want to see our 1 month and 6 month postplacement reports since we have only been home with our son since November.

THANKS again for being willing to share! 

Are y'all with me???

This stranger, who reads our blog, who doesn't know what Gabe's special need is emailed me out of the blue for encouragement and advice and to see if they might possibly consider one of the three little boys that the agency advocate spoke to me about just two nights before. 

Tears welled up in my tired eyes.

Can you see Jesus at work in the lives of His people?

Can you sense His sovereign hand in all things?

Can you believe the love He has for the orphan? 

Because I sure can, y'all. 

I sure can.

At this point, the family had not been in contact with the lady who spoke to me. I had not given her my contact info at the airport nor had this family spoken to her about our conversation. 

It was all the Lord. 

I turned to Jase and read him the email, connected the dots about the agency advocate at the airport and just looked at him.

To which he replied...

"Sovereignty."

And my heart resonated, yes. King Jesus is beautifully, wonderfully sovereign.