Our 2 week update...

Some of you may know that one of my favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 12: 9 & 10. It says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This has been in the back of my mind since we "adopted" Kiera.

Let me explain. Kiera is broken. We are broken (and goodness, did I need this reminder). It's a hard place to be because we have no control; we have "no hope", but at the same time quickly forget that we have Jesus... He is all the hope we need and more.

Kiera has been coming to work with me to use the internet to look for jobs. We have internet at home, but it's weak and limited. I thought it'd be good for her to not feel the pressure of using the internet up. The other day she came into my office and started to cry. What happened has been frozen in my memory for life.

She started crying as she talked about her situation. Her family hasn't called to check on her. They haven't even sent graduation cards… talk about putting life into perspective for this seemingly busy, preoccupied adoptive mother. As all of this is unfolding before my eyes she says something to me that my heart breaks even more to what she’s dealing with and just how broken she is. She says, "If this is what Christianity is about... I don't want any part of it." She goes on to talk about the sadness she has and confesses that she has doubted Christianity because of the people who have turned their backs on her.

I have personally been struggling with her family and she knows it. I can’t talk about it because it gets me angry… to the point that I cry. How could Christians kick a girl to the street with nothing? Why wouldn’t she doubt? I instantly knew that this is lesson God has for me.

All of the past events have kept playing in her head and she’s started to think about her life. She thought about where God was leading her, the family she has, and her living with us and the burden she thinks it is. She wasn't crying because she doesn't have a job, although it is hard for her. She wasn't crying because she doesn't have a plan... also hard for her. She wasn't crying because she doesn't have anything (remember, it was all sent to Texas and she's living out of 3 suitcases.) She was crying because her family hasn't called and she felt unloved. To me, Jeremy and I love her. We gave her a place to live, we give her food to eat and we drive her around. She has a shower, electricity, movies to watch, a washer and dryer... all of these things are provided for her. She needs to be loved. To be poured into. To be prayed for. To be guided spiritually. To be held accountable. To be a child.

When I got home that night I talked to Jeremy and what had happened. I knew eventually she would break down, but I didn’t expect to hear what I heard. Jeremy encouraged me by saying we will not kick her to the street, we will love her the way Christ loves us and she will heal. (I tell ya’, he’s a great, wise, and ever so patient husband!) I could tell he was hurt by the words, but I could also tell that he knew God was working in this.

The next day as we started our drive to work I told her I was glad she was broken. She looked at me like I was crazy and asked me why. I explained that in my experience, in my darkest hours of weakness and sadness, God provided for me. I explained that the weaker she is, the stronger Christ will make her. I reminded her that we are our best when we can’t rely on ourselves or on our talents… God fills us up with his spirit and works in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. That’s when we have peace.

Our 2 week update is a sweet reminder of how God is working in this to change our hearts and to be glorified. It’ll be a story that Kiera will be able to share with young people struggling with these same issues. Although we don’t know the outcome, we know God’s will is good and perfect. But I'm also reminded of how many people in this world don't feel loved. We go through our days preoccupied with our own problems that we forget to look around to a hurting and lost world.

Many of you have asked how you can help. I ask that you simple pray for us.  I want Kiera to know what it’s like to feel loved and to know she’s loved. So please just pray for us as we experience Christ in this whole situation! And I want to challenge each of you to pray for God to show you someone to love. I can guarantee you there are people all around you who just need someone to listen to them, to hug them, or just to tell them they are loved.