Holding Baby Kaylee

This past Sunday at church I had the honor of holding sweet baby Kaylee, one of the Thrasher twins, through the entire service.  Don't tell Shon, but I had a hard time focusing on the sermon.  I don't really know exactly how to describe it, but every time I hold one of those sweet girls I am overcome with a powerful emotion.  The first time I held Grace, I just cried.  I couldn't help it.  And it was more than just the sweetness of a newborn baby.  It was definitely more than that.  And sitting there yesterday holding Kaylee, all I could think about was how I was holding my story in my arms. Kaylee and Grace are adopted.  The story of their adoption is beautiful and full of God's grace.  They were rescued from their circumstances and now they are a part of a family that gives them love never ending.  That's my story.  Ephesians 1:5 says that God decided in advance to adopt me into his own family by bringing me to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. He rescued me from my circumstances.  Because He wanted to.  And it gave him great pleasure!  He has rescued me from me.  He adopted me.  I was an orphan.  Now I'm a part of a family and the daughter of a Father that gives me love never ending.  The 2 things that overwhelm me most when I hold Kaylee and Grace are this: They are so blessed and they are such a blessing.  Yes they are blessed that they've been given this life with 2 great parents who love them SO much.  But I believe even more the truth that they are a blessing to everyone who will know their story of God's grace and His hand in their lives.  And that makes me wonder if I tend to stop at just being blessed sometimes.  Or do I let the truth that I've been rescued be such a part of my story that when others come in contact with me they are faced with a powerful emotion? I wish I could answer that question with more confidence.

I can't wait for Selah to come home for so many reasons.  One of those reasons is that I know her daily presence in our family will be an ever present reminder of our own adoption story by the ultimate Father.   Please pray that our baby girl is being loved on and that we can travel to see her soon!