My story starts with Ryans...
In the summer of 2010 Ryan and I got to go to our first youth camp together as sponsors. We went to Super Summer. I was probably way more excited because I had been a sponsor before, but really missed Ryan.I was really excited for him to be with me. However, this camp we got split up and really never saw much of each other. On the first day all the Team Leaders were talking about the reason they came back to the camp was because it changed their lives. I came just because it seemed like a fun camp. Throughout the week I could tell Ryan was having a BLAST. He was the happiest and most outgoing I had ever seen him in public. I, on the other hand, was a bit jealous and annoyed and ready to go home.
Upon returning home Ryan was a totally different person. I knew something had changed, but I wasn't really sure what that meant. As the days and maybe even weeks went by he wasn't going back to his old self, and I was kind of getting annoyed. Things were just floating along, and Ryan laid off the Jesus talk and happy go lucky stuff because he knew I wasn't feeling it.
That is also the first summer I found the wonderful world of blogs. I became obsessed with home improvement and DIY craft blogs. I guess I must have stumbled across some adoption blogs because I remember starting to watch "Gotcha Day" videos on youtube.
This is when it becomes my story...
On October 15th, I took a half day from work because we were closing on our house! We were going to officially become home owners that afternoon. I came home from school and took a shower so my hair would be cute for pictures and then got on the Internet. I started watching some more Gotcha Day videos and I just knew that this was something I wanted to do. I wanted to adopt a baby.
Ryan came home and I realized I had forgot my Beth Moore bible study book at the church, and Ryan had to talk to our associate pastor. On our way to the church, I told Ryan I really wanted to adopt a baby. He made me tell him my reasons and they were not very good reasons (I can't even remember them now). Anyway he wasn't really on board at the time. Then we went and talked to our A.P. and told him that I wanted to adopt. He told us that we should maybe try living overseas before settling down and adopting. I am sure he was just meaning like it would be a good idea. You don't actually need to do it, but none the less the seed was planted.
We left and went to sign for the house. After we signed the house I specifically remember telling Ryan, "I feel so free". I couldn't figure out WHY I felt so relieved and just at peace and free. (Now I do).
After the signing, we went to Walmart and Ryan said wouldn't it be crazy if we became international missionary. I was like YAHH! That would be awesome (Not the answer he expected I am sure). Then the rest of the trip we just talked about "Wouldn't it be crazy...." things.
The next morning Ryan was making me breakfast and he told me he had googled Engineering Mission groups. He found one called eMi. I thought it was so awesome and ready to sell everything and go. We told our parents that we both felt called to become missionaries a few days later. This was intense. It was wild, and it was all God.
We eventually realized that we were not going to be full-time missionaries and weren't quitting our jobs, but we did apply for a Volunteer position with eMi.
Anyway...that was when it started. Around that time we were reading Crazy/Love and Radical. Our lives were shifting and God was moving. Looking back I now see that the day we signed for our house was whe God opened my eyes to a whole world of possibilities. He freed me from the life of living the average American Dream. He showed me that my dreams were bigger than the American Dream. From then on he has been ruining my life for Him.
I became the changed one and Ryan and I were forever changed as a couple. We are so blessed that we both had our hearts changed within a short time frame from each other. Our marriage has just gotten better and better, and our lives have so much more meaning. We are truly better people because of Jesus and the grace he has given us. He chose us to follow his word and spread his name. We are both so honored to have this together.
See what I mean about ughhhhhhh. Its a great story, but long. Everytime I think about it I see something new that happened, that God did.
I heard a song on the radio the other day that said something along the lines of "break my heart to make my feet move". I know that is isn't the exact line, but something like that. I realize that is exactly what God did. He broke my heart for orphans and moved my heart to action. Through that move He stepped in and took over my life.
Official Home Owners....and so much more....
I love reading about how others come to their desire to adopt. What an exciting adventure that lies ahead of you. God is in the littles details of our lives.
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