The End Justifies the Means

Easter. Resurrection Sunday. New life. Death defeated. Freedom from sin. Hope restored. Promise fulfilled. Wounds healed. Empty grave. Victory over suffering.

[my 'life' tattoo from John 10:10
a reminder on my wrist from
Jesus' nail-pieced hands]

This week has been a fairly reflective Passion Week, following a rather uneventful Lenten season. Today, something about the resurrection struck me differently than it has any other Easter Sunday: the end justifies the means. The resurrection made the cross worth it. Jesus defeating death made the suffering of the cross worth bearing. The victory of the empty tomb healed his wounds. Joy. It was a horrible way to get there, but Jesus did it.

Today I was praying, surrendering again our adoption journey...the suffocating time line, the list of unknowns, the years of having an empty baby room, the confusion of these months on the wait list, the wonder of "gotchya day". And once again, in a way only the gentleness and power of Jesus can do, I was struck by how the end will be worth it. And not just the end of our "gotchya day" when our 2 little Ethiopian kiddos will become Diaz's, but the end of this life. In a moment, I got crystal clarity again about the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth through our adoption process. Once again, the means to having a family became worth it...oooh, embraced even.

Thank you, Jesus, for the power of the cross and what it accomplished. But thank you that you were able to defeat death. Otherwise, the means would have never been worth it. You are good to unpack the resurrection in a thousand different ways to your children.

Our Agency's Gift

This weekend we received a true, thoughtful, timely gift from our agency, Christian World Adoption. We've been working with them for the past 13 months and have only been impressed at their effectiveness, efficiency, care, integrity, and expertise in our adoption process. This gift proved it!

Brian and I sat on our bed and read the note together. Brian read it out loud. I cried. I just needed that gift and the timing was excellent.

Dear Families!
Enclosed are several gifts, hand carried back by CWA staff especially for you from recent trips to Ethiopia, because we know the waiting is long and the journey hard. Remember, the Bible is full of God's promises and every one is true. He loves you, has a plan for your life, and He is always on time.

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3

With Love,
The CWA Ethiopia Team

Thank you, CWA, for going above and beyond what's necessary and caring for your families by giving what's needed! We are grateful that for you!

Chosen

One of the beautiful things about adopting is that we have an opportunity to say to our little ones, "WE CHOOSE YOU! Out of every child in the world, you have been chosen for us and we have chosen you!" There's something incredibly powerful about being chosen...

• Chosen for a dodge ball game
• Chosen to be hired for a job
  
• Chosen to be a part of a team
  
• Chosen to be someone's spouse
• Chosen to be God's child

The beautiful thing is that we are able to choose our Ethiopian babies because we have been chosen by a Mighty God to be a part of his family. THAT'S why adoption is more than a transfer of paperwork; it is a supernatural transfer in your soul!
A day will come (hopefully sooner than later!) that Brian and I will put this onesie on our little ones and speak into their soul, "I CHOOSE YOU...forever and ever!" Wow, this process is changing me.