HFTF Adoption/Orphan Conference

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A year ago, I went to this conference alone as Isaac got called into work. I debated heavily about just not going since I felt awkward being there by myself. I even asked the girls to come along with me, but in the end, I got up early, drove to the church and sat alone drinking in all the info I could about adoption. Heavy hearted, I felt alone in the whole thing. God had been breaking my heart for the orphan for many months at this point. I knew God was calling us to adoption, but Isaac did not. And so I sat, feeling awkward, knowing no one, but wanting to learn more about what this whole adoption thing was and what it was like to call a child, not of my own flesh, my daughter.

This was a big day for me and one where God was faithful to move, showing me I was meant to be there. It was here that I was introduced to our social worker from Lifeline and here that I was encouraged to learn more and not give up hope that God was indeed calling us to this journey with him.

I am in awe as I sit here writing this today because of just how much God has done in the past year with us and where I am sitting now. After the conference, I posted a comment on a message about the conference saying that "next year I hope that our family will have our own adoption in the works" not fully believing that that would actually happen. But, I was wrong and God had so much more in store for us than simply sending us on the private adoption journey that I pictured that day. He was calling us to the front lines to fight for the millions of children that need families and are desperate for someone to love them.

This year, I am not only attending the conferenece in the place I had so hoped to be that day, in the process of adopting a little girl, but also in a place I could never have dreamed of! We are working to bring home TWO little girls from China, as well as working with HFTF to help other families bring home children from around the world as the Fundraising Chair for Alongside Fundraising. We are not only attending the conference, but working at it, setting up a booth to share how God is calling us to help other families fundraise, and, God willing, perhaps speaking at some of the break out sessions about this adventure! God is sooooo good and I am blown away at how our lives have changed since my hesitent attendace to this amazing conference last year!