Coincidence? I think not.

As we began researching adoption we prayed, and prayed, and prayed.  We believed that the Lord was laying this on our hearts and providing the way, but this was a huge decision to make and we had so many questions.  Should we really adopt before having biological children? What country was He calling us to? Was it possible financially?  Should we choose an agency or go independent?  What agency? How would our friends and family feel?

So we did the only thing we knew to do, we prayed, researched, joined an adoption group, and prayed more.  The week of March 7th we began to ask God for real confirmation, like Moses and the burning bush, could He please confirm this to us in a way that we could not deny.  And oh did He ever!  The next seven days were filled with more confirmation than either of us have received, and it still continues.  We want to share all He did so glory can be given to Him, so you can understand why we could not deny this process at this time, and also to encourage you through all He has shown us.  Ask God and He will deliver.

• This may seem trivial to many of you, but that week two of our favorite television shows were on adoption.  Adoption was not just mentioned, it was the topic of the entire show.
• We saw an interview with Sarah Silverman in which she was asked about having biological children - she then advocated for the children of Africa and adoption, not because she cannot have biological children, but because there are 145 million orphans in this world that need a family.
• We received an unexpected bonus check that was for the exact amount we needed to start the adoption process.  This check was unexpected because it was supposed to be paid two weeks prior so we assumed we were not getting it, but then it appeared, the exact week we were asking for confirmation.
• People at our work places began asking about biological children and we were given the opportunity to share our hearts for adoption.
• I found out a coworker of mine, whom I had not known until now, had just completed two Ugandan adoptions just a few months before.  There were only 62 Ugandan adoptions in 2010 in total.  He also started a nonprofit for children in Uganda, please check it out at http://www.sixtyfeet.org/.
• Our dear friend/cousin and my accountability partner Rachel V. got her hair cut by someone who was adopted and shared their story with her that week.
• Literally everywhere we turned was adoption.

As the weeks progress, God keeps giving...

• I was working a trade show in Baltimore a few weeks later and a lady walked up asking if our video solution worked in Africa because she was moving there.  I asked her why she was moving to Africa and she went on to say her husband was working for the US Embassy there.  I shared our adoption story and she gave me all her contact information saying they would help us in any way possible.  This is huge because often getting your child's US Visa is a hard task.
• My mom found out there are two previous missionaries (from our child's homeland) living in my small hometown, of all places, Mabank, TX.  They travel back on mission trips each year.
• A children's choir (from our child's homeland) performed at our church on Easter (talk about tears!).

There are so many more, but these are the ones I was able to write down.  Some of these things may seem like coincidence to you, but to us, they are so very evidently the Lord.  If they had happened over the span of our lives, maybe coincidence, the fact they have happened the moment we began specifically asking for them, so undeniably the Lord.  So even without having all the answers, we have no doubt this is His will, so we move forward in Him.

It is so awesome to serve a King that not only lays things on our heart for His Kingdom, but so confidently provides the way. We are excited to see all the Lord continues to do and teach us through this process.  We are confident this adoption will be used to make us more holy for Him, and for that, we are so grateful.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Matthew 7:7-11