Grafted In

In February, we celebrated Wesleigh's "Gotcha Day". It's been five years since God placed her into our family. Jennifer wrote her Facebook post on the day we ate lunch with the girls at school. Wesleigh's glowing face and sweet hugs were fresh in my mind as I thought of how far she has come in five years.

She shared a comment that I wrote on her blog  while the family was in China to bring her home. Five years later, I am even more convinced that these words did not come from me but as a word from the Lord for sweet Wesleigh and her family - even for other amazing children who have joined their "forever families".

"Our God is in the business of healing hearts. Ps. 68:5 says He is a "father to the fatherless." He called her by name from the womb (Ps. 139) - and that name was Wesleigh Jane Doughty! He has been with her all along and soon she will know His name! I remember the story of Helen Keller who, although blind, deaf and dumb, was taught to communicate. When she was told about God, she excitedly signed, "I KNOW HIM - I just didn't know His name!" When little Wesleigh lay her precious head down in her crib in that orphanage, He hovered over her! What a God! God knew little Wesleigh would be a southern belle - bows and all. For Acts 17:26 tells us "He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation." Wesleigh's boundaries have been extended--and so have ours!"

What a rich and faith-building five years it has been as we have watched and participated in God fulfilling His Word in Wesleigh's life, Gracie's life and in the lives of so many other precious children who HE has placed in families! The theme of our Israel trip was "wild olives" because we, as Gentile Christians, were "grafted in" to the olive tree of Judaism (adopted) into the covenants and promises God made with and to them -- Israel is still the root, the heritage. I was humbled and awed as I experienced the roots of my heritage there. Like wild olive branches, these precious grandchildren have been grafted into the roots of our family (six precious ones!) They now grow along with us, sharing the same roots, the same sap, and they are blossoming, thriving - bringing new life and fresh sprouts of growth to our old family tree! I don't know how or why I get to come along for this ride, but I am ever so grateful that I do!