How God is using Chick-fil-A

So I realized tonight that Chick-fil-A has had a part to play in this adoption story for a while now.  Let me fill you in on a little history of how God got me to where I am today.  In His patient and loving way,  God has been at work in my heart for over a year now preparing me to say, “Yes” to His plan.  As a perfect Father, He has been slow in nudging me and molding me and refining me to give up more of myself and accept more of Him and what He is about.

Over a year ago, Blake and I went to a gala for Bethany in Memphis.  Adoption had been on our minds and hearts before this event just because we had friends who were in the process of adopting.  I think up until this point we would have said we supported adoption but it was in the way of supporting others who were called.  That night after the gala as we were driving home God was definitely stirring up questions in our hearts about what this may look like for our family.

Within a few weeks of this gala, back in Oxford our family went on a field trip to the Fiddlin Rooster Farm (ask me later about this).  At the farm, I ran into a family who I had met before but did not know well.  I could not keep my eyes off of them.  It was all I could do not to lock this mom in the bathroom and ask her twenty questions.  Yes, they had two adopted children – one a baby who they just had gotten only a few months before.  God was stirring!

Months past and there were days when I was so sure that we were suppose to do something with this adoption stuff and then the very next day I would be so full of doubts.  And the days continued on like this for a while.  Sometimes adoption was so heavy on my heart and other times I would go weeks without thinking much about it.

Time passed and the 4th of July rolled around.  We took the kids to see the fireworks on campus at Ole Miss.  It was dark by the time we got to the hill of the practice field and we couldn’t really see where we were putting our blanket down or who we were by.  But can you guess it?  Yes, there we were by this same family who I had not seen or talked to since months before.  God was stirring!

By this time I had decided I just needed to call this lady and talk with her.  I got her phone number from a friend, but did not call.  In the back of my mind I had kinda told God something like this,  ”If I see her again, I will definitely know this is something I am suppose to move forward with.”  Please tell me you do this.  I wasn’t really testing God (or was I?) and eventually maybe I was going to get around to calling her.

So, how does Chick-fil-A fit into this story?  Well, one afternoon I was running into Chick-fil-A to get cow masks for my kids to wear to that nights event of “Dress Like a Cow and Get Free Chicken”.  We are all about free food from one of our favorite restaurants.  As I am jumping out of the car to run in, I saw her with her whole family dressed like cows.  God was definitely getting my attention!

After talking with her a minute and asking if I could call her sometime I got back in the van and cried and cried and cried.  Oh, He is so loving.  He is so patient.  He is so real.  He had heard my goofy request and if that is what I needed to step out and take action, then He was ready and willing to let me see this lady again there at Chick-fil-A.  I can hear him whispering, “Oh, Bev, I know you.  I created you.  You want to see her as proof of that then okay.  Here I am.  Do you see Me?  Do you hear Me?  I am still at work.”  God was stirring!

And still stirring and working He is.  Blake and I eventually decided that we had prayed and prayed and prayed some more, so maybe it was time we started taking some active steps in these prayers we kept praying.  We began to pursue what we needed to do to bring a child into our home through adoption.  You know after taking those first few steps it seems like we have gotten continued confirmation of His plan for us.

So if you read our last post, you know we had a fundraising night at Chick-fil-A last Thursday.  It was AMAZING!  I am not talking about the money we raised although we are very thankful for that part of it.  I am talking about the parking lot being so full you had to park at other businesses close by and walk over.  I am talking about packing out that place so much it was hard to find a seat.  I am talking about the lines people were waiting in to place their order and get their food.  I am talking about the play area full to probably over capacity.  I am talking about all the girls who are wearing bracelets that our daughters made to help in there own way in this adoption.  I am talking about friends and family from all different arenas of our lives – people from church, people from the gym, people from high school, people from the soccer field, people from our homeschool group, people from other peoples friends,  people from our small group, people from our favorite candy shop in town, just so many people.  There we all were in Chick-fil-A and once again He was showing me how good He is and how he is loving me through everyone of these people.

Thank you to everyone who is giving us support and encouragement.