Influence

Written words move me. Nine times out of ten, God uses scripture, books, blogs, articles, etc. to get my attention. I mentioned in my previous post that after Gray was born, we knew we wanted to adopt "someday", but God pushed up our timeline by keeping the orphan crisis literally right in front of our noses.

I thought it might be helpful to list some of the written pieces that moved me. And by moved me, I mean transformed me into a sobbing mess for 6 months. By moved me, I mean forced me to face reality, and folks, reality is not a pretty thing. This world is hurting. Children are suffering. And we have been called to so much more than we are doing. So, here's a list of some of my "tops", the written words that changed our family's direction forever.

Scripture: 

Isaiah 58

Matthew 25

James 1:27

Blogs:

Kristen Howerton has blogged prolifically about adoption, both international and domestic. She's a favorite. I have a secret desire to someday meet her. I totally have an "in" as my sis is super good friends with a guy that does their family pics.... you never know!
http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2010/06/what-i-wanted-to-say.html

http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2010/10/do-orphans-need-saving.html

Heather Hendrick: wrote this beautifully gut-wrenching piece on her first few months in Haiti with her family. This one was read through sobs to my Brandon late one night. I think we both knew things were about to change for us.
http://allthingshendrick.blogspot.com/2010/10/reality-is-weighty-thing.html

Books:
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess: "American life can be excessive, to say the least. That’s what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her family’s upper middle class home. She once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called “rich” by an undeniably poor child, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual was born."


Kisses from Katie: "What would cause an eighteen-year-old old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because the rest of them think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person but didn’t know any of the language? A passion to make a difference. Katie Davis left over Christmas break her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved by the people and children of Uganda that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. She has given up a relatively comfortable life—at a young age—to care for the less fortunate of this world. She was so moved by the need she witnessed, she’s centered her life around meeting that need. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, is in the process of adopting thirteen children in Uganda, and she completely trusts God for daily provision for her and her family."


Radical: "In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus."




Disclosure: Do not read unless you are ready to be rocked to your core.