So let’s have a real little family discussion.
Although I’ve stayed somewhat active on the social media page (check out the Facebook page if you want pics, videos and updates of these superheroes who are eating me out of house and home), this girl has clearly updated the actual physical blog exactly zero times since the first week of April.
But it's not just because I'm the worst blogger on planet Earth (although this is totally true).
It's because, for the last couple of months, I've had the pleasure and privilege of partnering on another ...
In March, a group of fellow Orphan Warriors and I discovered that international adoption was in crisis.
Which put me in crisis.
For the month of April, we in this little community made it our mission to Be Their Voice, Tell Their Story so that we could shout to the world the value of these precious, priceless children who would be left behind if America ever closed its doors to international adoption. We #shareweardeclare-d our way through spring, and at every moment and at every opportunity, we told these vulnerable children’s story.
Although others may argue with opinions, although they can argue with theories and statistics, they can’t argue with testimonies, because testimonies are the living, breathing evidence of redemption, transformation, new hope and new life.
Which, next to the Word of God and the power of prayer, makes them one of the most powerful tools in our Orphan Warrior arsenal.
(Want to know how important testimony is to our God? Just check out Revelations 12, where the enemy is defeated by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB and the WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY — by Jesus and the story He authored in our lives.)
But even as we shared our story, I felt God leading me to tell another.
In April, the same month we were fighting for international adoption, the Christian publishing company where I had had the privilege of working from home as the editor in chief for 13 years reorganized. I relinquished my job, the precious bosses I now just call dear, life-long friends and an entire community of writers and editors and artists who were just sisters and brothers in this life.
The biggest loss?
The opportunity to play a part in telling the stories of how Jesus saved, healed, redeemed and restored real people in real communities around the United States.
Or so I thought.
The same month I farewelled a position telling the real stories of how Jesus had reclaimed HOPE in the lives of real people, our dear friends at Sage Harvest Gourmet Jerky launched a campaign to remind others of the hope we have in HIM — the author of EVERY story in this life.
The author of the orphan story.
Their message?
That because of the cross, we are all One of H1S. Which means that in this lifetime, we have the honor and responsibility and privilege to love and serve and treat EVERY human like One of H1S.
The same way I know that this incredible family of ten does every. Single. Day.
Up until this point, this military mama of eight who has both a baby and a 16-year-old has never really told their story.
Because they’ve never really had the time.
Because they were too busy CHANGING the orphan story for five children in their home, 10 adoptive families in their community (including ours) and 16 medically needy children who received life-saving surgeries because of one jerky store and two people who, between countless deployments and multiple medical procedures, just said yes to Jesus.
But in this critical season where international adoption in our country is in danger, they can’t afford NOT to tell their story.
Because THEIR story is H1S story. And it’s one of the most beautiful pictures of what happens when we, imperfect people, access the love of a perfect God and pour out H1S perfect love on ALL of H1S, no matter the time, no matter the inconvenience, no matter the circumstances, no matter the cost.
Want to read one of the most beautiful relentless love and redemption stories I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing up close, one that will melt you, inspire you, motivate you and challenge you? One that I believe so strongly in telling that partnering with Sage Harvest for this blog is all I am doing in this season?
Sign up for the blog and newsletter HERE.
Then grab coffee. And my favorite Western jerky. Because this 10-week series is going to be one long and wild ride ... one that will surely give you, like ME, a whole lot to chew on.
The first blog post launches at http://sageharvestjerky.com at 9 a.m. TODAY.
#sageharvestchangestheorphanstory #oneofH1Sstories #surrenderlookslikethis
When you see the hurt, broken and marginalized, know that they are one of His.
When the world makes you feel hurt broken and marginalized, know that you are one of His.
When you see brokenness in others or feel it in yourself, know that you have been chosen, loved and redeemed by one of His.
YOU are one of His.
THEY are one of His.
Because of the cross, we are ALL one of His.