Let me introduce you to my previous friend Erica! We have a million and one mutual friends, and I've heard about how amazing she is for years. We finally connected IRL (in real life) in May when I partnered with her family to do an adoption fundraiser to help with their final travel expenses to bring Evie Joy home from China.
I knew instantly that I would love her because she walked in rocking my favorite Noonday Collection piece of all time - the Annie's Feathered Earrings. We spent the day together doing an early show at a local elementary school and then later moved to the local high school - I was just in awe of her kindness and genuineness. Their entire family exudes love for one another - and for those around them. Oh, and before little Evie arrived in their world...Erica was a boy mama to two little guys, too! #kindredspirits
So, all that to say, I can't wait for you to read about her heart for the orphan and how God has been working for years in Erica's life (and in Tyler's) to make a place for their beautiful little girl. Prepare yourself for the cuteness that is their family's pictures...
IN HER OWN WORDS....
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| I can't even handle this cuteness! |
The Lord put
adoption on my heart many years ago. Long before I was ever married or even
knew who my husband would be, God began to give me a heart for the orphan.
Adoption
wasn’t foreign to me. I had casually heard of people adopting, but I had never
really known anyone personally that had done it and I had never really given it
much thought. You see, I had no idea that there were millions of orphaned
children in the world and that many of them would never be adopted. I didn’t
know that there were precious children in the world literally starving to death
or laying in hospital beds without a mom or dad at their side. I didn’t know
that many of them turn to prostitution or drugs when they “age” out of the
orphanage because they have no family…no education…no hope.
And then God interrupted my way
of thinking, and placed a passion in my heart for the “least of these.” It started
when I heard the story of Christian artist, Stephen Curtis Chapman and his
wife, tragically losing their adoptive daughter. That story broke my heart for
their family, and it also sparked a fire in my heart for adoption. The more I
learned about the fatherless, the more I felt that I had to do something. You see…to whom much is given, much is also
required. I had been given MUCH and the Lord was revealing to me what was
required.
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| Looks like Camden (4) & Case (3) have decided to keep her! |
Before I
even met my husband, I began to pray that God would open his heart to the
possibility of adoption. God answered BIG! Although, Tyler did not have the
same passion as I did (at first), he was very open to researching and learning
more about adoption. AND THEN GOD!! He
used Tyler’s respect for me and willingness to share in my passion to completely
break my husband’s heart also. I’ll never forget the day Tyler looked at me and
said, “It’s easy to live in our own little world, but once you know, you’ve
gotta do something.”
We brought
our baby girl (Evie Joy) home just two short months ago. It is so amazing to see the work
God has done in ALL of our hearts. I have always heard that adoption was a
picture of the gospel and it’s so true!
As we’ve pursued her reluctant and guarded heart, I’ve been reminded
that God does the exact same with us. He pursues us in our hopeless state, REDEEMS us, and leads us to NEW life in HIM!
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| First Family Photo...and appropriately under those Friday Night Lights! |
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See? Do you not just want to cozy up with a cup of coffee with her and talk? So thankful that God used Noonday Collection to bring us together IRL; it has been such a blessing to be in prayer for their sweet family as they've chased after Evie and now are transitioning into a busy family of five!
Oh, and Go Brandon Bulldogs!
Stay tuned for the next post! You're going to love it just as much! I seriously know the most amazing women in the world! #hangingwiththecoolkids
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