Hearts at Home

Last week I was blessed to attend the Hearts at Home conference.  As I reflected on our adoption journey, I realized that Hearts at Home has been a large part of our story.  My first Hearts at Home conference was in 2012.  I was so excited to attend the conference.  I had given my life to Christ less than a year before and was eager to learn more about Him.  I was blown away at the first conference.  I had never seen so many women in one place worshipping the Lord.  I had never heard women proclaim Jesus’ name and share how He is working in their life.  I was overwhelmed!  For so long I was led to believe that Christian women were full of stereotypes and a minority.  At this conference, I realized I was not alone.  I had sisters in Christ.  It was amazing!

I heard a speaker at the first conference that shared her story.  Her story included a child adopted from Guatemala and three children that she was fostering.  I NEVER would have imagined the impact that talk would have in my life.  I was convinced that my family was complete.  In fact, I felt that God had given me peace with the size of our family.  I had sold all of my kids’ baby and toddler clothing.  The crib was gone. Diapers were on their way out, too.  There would be no more babies in my house.  I was good.  Then I heard this talk about caring for these children that had no hope.  It was the talk that God used to speak to my heart about adoption and caring for the orphan.

The details of our adoption journey can be read here.  There were many prayers, conversations, signs and experiences that led to the place we were at when I attended my second Hearts at Home conference last year.  At this point, Matt and I were ready to submit to the Lord and obey his calling in our life to adopt.  We felt led to adopt from a Latin American country.  We met many closed doors.  I was eating lunch at Hearts at Home when I got the call from our first choice agency.  They were saying “no.”  It would be quite impossible to adopt from Columbia and meet all of the criteria.  I was broken.  I was confused.  I was confident that God had led us to that country.  The door closed.  I chose to be still before God.  I chose to follow his lead.

Another year went by.  I attended this year’s conference as a waiting adoptive mom!   We are so close to bringing Micah home.  He has a name, a face, a file, and most importantly, a family.  Last year’s closed door has turned into an incredible journey.  God’s hands are truly at work.  I am in awe at the work that God has done and continues to do in our lives.  Last year I would not have guessed that I would be telling a vendor that I have three kids who were 4, 5 and 6 years old.  I am blessed.  Thank you Lord for your faithfulness and goodness!

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If you would like more information on Hearts at Home, check out: http://www.heartsathome.org/.