We are Family

Daily Gratitude Year Six-Day 350: Today, I am grateful "we are family". 

This week, a precious little girl was adopted. Aubrilyn has been in the care of one of church families from the time she was a baby. She was wee and helpless when we first held her in our arms. We've had the blessing and the privilege of watching her grow up, protected by her loving foster family. 

When she is a teenager, we will all be able to tell her the stories of when she was a baby. She has wrapped us all around her little finger and pulled us into her story. She has been teaching us to trust God's timing along the way. God has answered the prayers of many. Today, she has a new last name.

Aubrilyn is treasured and adored. She is taught manners, limits, sharing and to be loving and kind in her parents home. She is beloved in the eyes of God... and treasured by our congregation. She has been with us her entire life. We cannot imagine her family or our church family without her. 

Family courts make difficult decisions every day, while following the laws in place. On December 14th, Aubrilyn changed her last name to reflect her forever family. Our hearts are all full. For me, it is the second adoption for 2018 that has been close to my heart and urgent in my prayers. 

The coolest thing happened on Friday. In the still, calm of the early morning hours, Aubrilyn was not sleeping well. It had been a restless night. She tossed and turned and was struggling with sleep. Finally, Whitney and Brian did what parents do... they let her crawl into their bed... between them. She settled in to sleep. 

Before dawn, Whitney awoke to find Aubrilyn's hands on both sides of her face, as if to get her attention. Aubrilyn spoke these words with confidence and clarity, "We  are family." 

Brian and Whitney had not told the children, as they had planned to surprise them on Friday when they picked them up for Family Court. (There had been so many delays already, they didn't want to get the older children excited and find the court had changed its mind or the plan.) 

Who told Aubrilynn? How did she know? "We are family!" She knew it in her spirit before she could intellectually understand what was happening. Jesus invites us to watch and learn from the children. 

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.  But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” -Matthew 19:12-14

My Mama Ina Mae taught us the song "Children Talk to Angels". I don't doubt it's truth. Children are fresh enough from the hand of God that they still hear His whispers. Angels are present in our world. Listen to them and you will hear the good news of Jesus, too "We are family."  We can be fearless in that knowledge.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” -Romans 8:15 

To our eyes... it was 987 days in the making! In God's perfect timing, it was more of a wink or a blink. Aubrilyn Rose Carver, God has written you in the palm of his Hand. We know he has great plans for you! We can't wait to watch them unfold. 

Today, I am grateful "We are family!".