Seeing children who have waited for a very long time finally come home and have a family to call their own is one of my most favorite things in the world! I never get tired of seeing children united with families who have stepped out in faith and trusted the Lord to get them home. Each story is, in my mind, a complete miracle.
Adoption is redemption…and redemption is the heart of our Father in heaven.
I could not let today go by without sharing the most beautiful story of redemption with you all. So many of you have prayed since last December when I first brought this young man to your attention. Many of you have watched in amazement as the God of the universe went about His business.
It all began with one photo. That was all we had. One photo and a heartbreaking story of a young boy about to turn sixteen.
Many of us knew exactly what that meant! Aging out of the adoption system and becoming unadoptable is a catastrophe for these young people. We read “Jonathan’s” desperate need for a family through tears. Thousands and thousands of you rallied with me. His story is still the most read story here on my blog. We all longed to see this sweet boy home.
It did not take long for a family to hear the voice of the Lord say “GO!” They knew the journey would be hard. They knew it would stretch and challenge them more than anything else ever had. But the Mickschl family said yes….come what may! They knew with all their hearts that when we put our yes on the table with God, it absolutely has to remain a YES!
With courage and determination in their hearts, the Mickschl family trusted that the Lord would provide every dollar they needed. They knew God would enable them to face any situation when the storms blew their way.
And blow they absolutely did.
Just a few weeks ago I shared about their first meeting with Andrey (his original name). Fear overcame him. Before him sat two people from a different country who did not speak the same language. He no longer knew whether he truly wanted to be adopted. I came to you, the faithful readers of my blog, and asked you to intercede on Andrey’s behalf. All anyone ever wanted was for this young man to know without a shadow of a doubt what HE wanted–to be adopted or to remain in his own country. The Mickschl’s only wanted God’s BEST for Andrey–no matter which way things went.
While they waited on the other end of the world for Andrey to make a decision, we all prayed with all of our hearts. What a tough decision for a young man to have to make! I cannot even imagine.
I have truly felt like I have been watching a miracle unfold. Something changed in Andrey’s heart! He knew. He knew that he belonged with this sweet family. He knew that he had been chosen. And probably for the first time in his sixteen years, he knew that he was loved.
Andrey said yes to his family.
I have read their blog posts through many tears. Redemption is such a beautiful thing. Seeing Andrey–now Andrew–learn to truly love his new parents over the last few weeks has been so deeply moving. It’s the power of God to reach down from heaven and heal, restore, and redeem everything that the locusts have eaten.
It’s the resurrecting power of the glorious love that came down off that cross to save one life at a time.
Last night Andrew and his precious Daddy finally arrived in America.
Andrew was finally able to meet his big family who have been waiting to embrace him and teach him all about what it means to be a part of a family.
What a joy!
Like the story of the starfish….
This life is one of millions who so desperately needed to be rescued, to be chosen.
This life mattered–to God, and to one precious family who were willing to step out of their comfortable little boat and travel across the world to save ONE.
ONE matters!
It just doesn’t get much sweeter than this.
I can hardly wait to see the plans and purposes unfolding that the Father has for Andrew.
Thank you, Mickschl family. Thank you for being such an example to all of us about letting our yes be yes…even when the journey gets hard! Love you guys.
You can continue to follow Andrew’s story on his family’s blog right here.
To God be the glory, GREAT things He has done!
