As I sit here looking at my packed bags I find myself pondering the immense peace that is washing over me. Bona and I leave in just a matter of hours and yet I feel no worry, anxiety, or fear. God has been so faithful to get us this far, 3 years and He has always been clearly in control of this journey. I may not have liked everything but I never doubted His sovereignty. And now as I look out at my luggage I of course think of my sweet boy and the joy of the day that is coming so soon! I also find myself thinking about community, about the body of Christ. It says in 1 Peter 4:8-11 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." I love this verse! ( I better, it is tattooed on my arm). I love it because it is exactly what we have been experiencing the last few months. People in our community loving us deeply, offer hospitality, speaking the truth of God into our hearts, and serving us selflessly.
From friends who have stepped in to watch Bona to students praying for our son. We have faithfully seen Christ in and through and around our community. And the most amazing thing is they way our two communities, the one in Ethiopia and the one here in the states, have come together to support each other. That my friends is the body of Christ, people who don't even know each other tied together by their love for our one true King. Oh how I rejoice for they day that I can tell my son that at one point in his journey there were hundreds of people praying for him! None of whom had even met him yet. If that is not a testimony to the power of God's community I am not sure what is. Our son has been held up in prayer, he has been clothed by the generosity of friends and he has been loved by people both near and far.
This journey is about our son first and foremost. But I cannot help but see the amazing power of community that has made it happen. From the bags we have packed with gifts from our Seattle friends to our Ethiopian friends to the bag we carry for our Ethiopian friends who live in Seattle and are sending things to family in Ethiopia. I have watched two communities thousands of miles apart be brought together by one very special boy. There is so much about this journey that is hard and impossible to understand, there is much sorrow and grief, but this part, the part where the body of Christ has done its part, this will be a great celebration for our family. Our sweet boy will know that he is loved. He will know that God has and will continue to bring many people into his life that will be models of God's great love. And we as a family will celebrate with intense joy that we are loved and prayed for by many. Thank will never be enough for the language lessons, the clothes, the meals, the genuine question, the prayers or the love.
From friends who have stepped in to watch Bona to students praying for our son. We have faithfully seen Christ in and through and around our community. And the most amazing thing is they way our two communities, the one in Ethiopia and the one here in the states, have come together to support each other. That my friends is the body of Christ, people who don't even know each other tied together by their love for our one true King. Oh how I rejoice for they day that I can tell my son that at one point in his journey there were hundreds of people praying for him! None of whom had even met him yet. If that is not a testimony to the power of God's community I am not sure what is. Our son has been held up in prayer, he has been clothed by the generosity of friends and he has been loved by people both near and far.
This journey is about our son first and foremost. But I cannot help but see the amazing power of community that has made it happen. From the bags we have packed with gifts from our Seattle friends to our Ethiopian friends to the bag we carry for our Ethiopian friends who live in Seattle and are sending things to family in Ethiopia. I have watched two communities thousands of miles apart be brought together by one very special boy. There is so much about this journey that is hard and impossible to understand, there is much sorrow and grief, but this part, the part where the body of Christ has done its part, this will be a great celebration for our family. Our sweet boy will know that he is loved. He will know that God has and will continue to bring many people into his life that will be models of God's great love. And we as a family will celebrate with intense joy that we are loved and prayed for by many. Thank will never be enough for the language lessons, the clothes, the meals, the genuine question, the prayers or the love.
