Friendship

I have this friend that I've known for almost 15 years. I adore her, and value her more than I can say. I tear up thinking about how full my life has been because of her. What a blessing it was that God gave her to me. We have stood by one another though life altering events. We've prayed for each other and been there for each other when times were tough, and I mean really tough! God has used her in my life so many times, He uses her to speak truth to me when I can't see it for myself, He's used her to encourage me when I need it most. I pray that I have been the friend to her that she has been to me, there are times where I have had my doubts about that! There is not enough space to write about what we've watched each other go through. But through every difficult season of the last 15 years I've always known that I have Rachel, I have Rachel to stand with me as I face whatever crisis came my way, and whatever crisis she faced I stood with her.

Rachel is also my hero, in so many ways, really. She and her husband Kevin have just gotten home from China, they adopted a little 6 year old boy that they named Hudson, after the British missionary to China, James Hudson Taylor. What's better than that is that 9 years ago they adopted a baby girl that they named Holly. This child has stolen my heart since the day I first saw her. David and I have so many pictures of her when she was little, precious!

We now face another season of life, Rach needs me to stand strong in prayer with her. Our little Holly is really struggling with adding a little brother into their family...... My gut feeling is this, she is first and foremost a very tenderhearted little girl, I know that there are many things that an adopted child goes through that I will never understand, but what I do understand is that she wanted this little boy in their family, I know that her mom and dad have taught her what is means to care for orphans and what God says about how He would have us do that. She knows that her mom and dad have loved her and worked very hard to rescue her from an orphanage when she was an infant. This is a hard time for her,,, and for her mom and dad as they watch her process this journey, knowing that the only thing that they can do is to reassure her that she is wanted and dearly loved.

Now, about Hudson... He is a precious little 6 year old boy! What a breath of fresh air- today when I met him he graciously approached me, he wrapped his little arms around my waist and hugged me. I melted like butter. He didn't understand me when I cupped his little cheeks in my hands and told him how precious he was. He didn't know how full my heart was when I looked at him and thanked our awesome God for giving him to Rach and Kev.