Surfacing

I've struggled over the last few months with blogging.  It had become a chore.  An obligation.

I was turning in circles.  Jumping from one cause to another.  Making myself a bit dizzy.  

I wanted to stop but the need was always before me.  Lost Kids.  Desperate family.  How can you turn away? I blogged out of guilt and desperation.  I blogged because I deeply cared.  I blogged and I blogged but I knew... deep down knew that the Lord was calling me to rest.  For a season.  He was calling me to change my focus.  Do it differently.

So I stopped.  Cold turkey.  

It was amazing.  Restful.  Sweet.

I rested.  I read other blogs.  I supported families on FB.  I spent time in prayer.  I rested.

I'm still resting.  A week is not enough time.  

I'm not back to full-time blogging but in my rest God gave me a gift last night that I just have to share.  

A gift of a little boy.

JACOB.

Those who have followed this blog for years may just remember this little guy.  

I shouted for him in February of 2011.  A post I called WEEPING WEDNESDAY.

His RR name was Easton.

He was a happy, talking, walking, carefree little guy in an orphanage that just happened to be the SAME PLACE where this little boy grew up.

Yep.  Easton and Aaron grew up in the same baby house.  

I didn't know that when I shouted for him in 2011.  I didn't know.  I shouted because I had received a heart-wrenching e-mail from a family in Germany who wanted to call Easton their son.  They had committed to him, raised money for him, prayed for him, longed for him.  All the while he was happy at the baby house.  He was seen by several RR families.  He was described as smart and funny and focused.  

But then tragedy for this happy, bright-eyed little guy happened... LIKE AARON... HE WAS TRANSFERRED.   Transferred.  And the family in Germany knew that because of the extra hoops and red tape they needed to go through... It would take YEARS for them to get him out.  So they released him.  And they sent me an e-mail and begged me to yell.  To yell for their son.

And I yelled.  And others yelled.  

And a family heard.

A Papa...

And a Mama.

They heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit that this one... this one... He was their son.

So they crossed the ocean for the bright-eyed, smart, happy little guy.

But a year and a half in a MENTAL INSTITUTE had taken its toll.  They arrived to find a little boy who had been drugged and left to rot inside a crib.  He was no longer a happy, carefree little soul.  He was broken and bruised and in deep need of gentle hands who would find the little boy trapped inside.

Like Aaron... he was the FIRST and ONLY child to EVER have been adopted out of this institute.

Like Aaron he was ONLY available because the baby house director had had him listed before he was transferred.

Like Aaron he was destined to a life behind bars.

Like Aaron... he has been given wings to fly.

A brother.  A sister.  Grandparents who love him.

He's been given time and space to heal.

And slowly... God is healing this tiny little guy.  It will take time.  But God is a restorer and the transformation they are seeing in him already is awesome to behold.  

JACOB.

And for a few hours last night I was given a sweet reminder from the Lord of Hosts that this is why I am doing what I am doing.  

GOD SETS THE LONELY IN FAMILIES...

Thanks be to God!!