The Face of Blessing

My heart was wrecked this week.

God has been stirring me so violently that I feel I might explode. It isn't just this week, it's been the last several months. For about a year I have felt this deep nudging toward simplicity. If you know me in real life you might find that peculiar, because you know we do live simply. I find it strange too. For weeks, I've felt an extreme urgency to cut unnecessary expenses, create aggressive payoff loan strategies, and donned a new, money-tightening mindset.

Why?

Don't know.

Naturally, all of those principles are good in practice, especially in a tough economy...but the economic climate isn't driving this. God is.

I'm just going with the flow.

Last week, I was glued to this community as I experienced Kenya through the eyes of fellow bloggers. I am not exaggerating when I say their trip changed my life. All of the sudden the voices of simplicity started making sense. My eyes were open wide to a reality that thousands of Kenyans are living.

The Compassion Bloggers were advocating for hundreds of Kenyan children that needed sponsoring and the awareness they brought was impossible to turn from. Ben and I were compelled to do our part and searched through countless faces for the newest extension of our family. A few minutes in, my ever-discerning husband said, "This is morbid. We're not picking out a new pair of shoes...this is a life. Let's just sponsor the longest waiting."

And so we did.

Baraka is his name. Nine years old. His name means blessing in Swahili. His picture came in the mail, today, and my heart swelled with love. He probably wasn't chosen for his seriousness. He lacks the irresistibly captive smile that advertises often and hardship is etched on his face.

It was about this time, last year, that we first received Ty's ultrasound pictures. We proudly displayed them on the fridge. Countless times I'd wander by, looking for excuses to catch a glimpse of our son. Today, I found myself doing the same. When I look at sweet Baraka, I see another adopted son. A son who lives a world away. A son I'll likely never meet.

As God continues to expand my heart and family, I wonder, Lord what do you have next?

If you haven't read the Blogger diaries from Compassion's Kenya trip, go now. Allow God to rip your heart open and enlarge your worldview.

"Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."
Matthew 18:5