Show Hope

Last night was a roller coaster of emotions for me.  Kelli and I were blessed to attend Show Hope’s 10^th anniversary celebration at Lipscomb University (thanks to my sweet sister-in-law for hooking us up with our tickets).  God has given Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman an incredible vision for ministering to orphans and adoptive families, and the night was really about celebrating all that God has done the past ten years through this amazing ministry. 

As I took it all in, my mind went to so many places.  As I watched the dads and daughters danced while Steven remembered his Maria during his song Cinderella, I couldn’t help but wish that was me sharing a dance with my sweet daughter I’ve yet to meet.  I saw so many pictures of other adoptive families when they met their child for the first time, and I couldn’t help but wonder what that special day would be like for us.  I wept as I saw video footage of adoptive families being welcomed back at the airport with their precious children, and I thought about what that welcome might be like for us when we bring our little Sophie (yep, we’ve decided on a name) home. 

It doesn’t take much to bring me to tears these days, and that’s okay.  These images that I’ve seen and experiences I’ve already had on this adoption journey should move me (and all of us for that matter), and I’m glad that my heart is a little softer now so that I can be touched in these ways.  God has called me and Kelli to adopt, and my hope and prayer is that he will call you to do something too for the 153 million orphans in the world.  He may not call you to adopt, but you can do something to bless a little boy or girl somewhere in the world.  Just be open to it, and God will show you where he needs you to “show hope.” You can be sure there’s a child somewhere who needs it.