Seriously, I have laughed and laughed
tonight reading your comments.
I love you guys.
You truly provide more entertainment
than this woman deserves.
I will giggle off and on for days by the stuff
some of you have said or guessed.
Thank you – this woman needed each
and every one of them.
So the story continues….
When I was in Africa in April leading the team with Emmy,
we went to spend time at yet another orphanage.
I had never been there before.
After arriving the children lined up and sang for us.
They actually sang a few songs.
Through tears my eyes moved up and down the line of kids.
Orphans.
Such a yukky word.
I cannot even imagine what it is like for each of them,
day after day,
they wait.
And wait.
And wait.
We had asked ahead of time if we could
share lunch there with them.
After getting my plate most of the team sat inside, but
I wanted to sit with the kids, so I wandered out back.
Emma had already gone out back too.
There were no chairs so I plopped on the cement ground
and started asking some of these precious treasures questions.
One little girl just stood out above all the others.
I was captivated by her.
She had such a tender spirit.
She just exuded Christ.
I asked her if I could take a picture of her and I.
She said I could.
I cuddled up with her and turned my camera toward us and started taking picture after picture.
I realized that she might think I was like some stalker-lady, so I tried to be a little less obvious.
But I was completely and utterly smitten with her.
After eating and talking for quite a long time, she and I walked inside with arms around each other.
I said, “Show me where you sleep.”
She showed me.
It’s a beautiful place {all things considered} but all I could think was,
“You really need to be home with me, little one.”
My mind was racing – I even started rearranging our
girls room at home in my head.
I kept close tabs on her, watching her so much so that I really hardly noticed most of the other children. Later someone wrote me about one of the children at this orphanage and truly, I had no clue who they were even talking about.
I could just see her in our home and in my heart I was convinced that she was ours.
I talked to Emma about her when we got back to our room that night. She was thinking the same thing – “she’s ours.”
When I got back to the States, Dw and I had lots to talk about because of Elliot and that situation. Even in the midst of it though, I told Dw, “I am convinced she is supposed to be home with us.” And we started to pray about adding her to our family as well.
About a month later, Dw suggested that we contact the orphanage director and talk to her to find out anything we might need to know.
We told her that we were praying about this little treasure and the director told us that the kids at the orphanage had been fasting and praying together for each other to find their forever family.
Our hearts broke.
Can you really imagine fasting and praying for a family?
We can’t even begin to imagine.
But on the other side of the world there are a group of kids praying and fasting for a family for each other.
And so it was with great anticipation that Dw and Emma headed with a team of 22 {total} to Africa to serve the orphan….{and to meet a very precious little girl who had been fasting and praying for a family of her own….}
~*~to be continued~*~
Can't wait to read the rest of the story! God must have an amazing amount of favor upon you sweet friend to allow you the privilege of so many! Love your faithfulness!
I don't want to dare say that an orphanage is a nice place to be.
BUT, the fact that this orphanage is not only teaching these children the love of Christ but the purposes of His word and the power in prayer and fasting…..AH-MA-ZING.
Can't wait to hear more!
Oh my…my heart just breaks for these precious angels as I see them fasting and praying in my mind's eye. Precious, precious treasures. I can't wait to hear more about your girl Linny. I can't wait, I can't wait!!! Please, please tell us tomorrow!! I'm dying over here!! One less orphan!! Praise Jesus!!!
love and prayers,
jenn
…as my children would say at the best part of the book…DON'T STOP NOW, KEEP GOING!! More please! i am on pins and needles with excitement over this…i do hope you will post a picture or two that you took that day at some point… when it's ok to do so. We can't wait to see this beautiful child of God…can't wait to see what you will name her…and pink it is…! Aglow in pink!
Praying for those special treasures that are fasting and praying for their families…oh hear their prayers Lord and send them quickly! So thankful for our precious Lord that loves His children so!
Waiting expectantly for the rest of your awesome story! <3
And???????? You really love doing this don't you :]
hurry hurry!! I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow at dinner time..for 5 weeks..the suspense is killing me!!
goosebumps!! How WONDERFUL! And NO, I cannot imagine what it would be like to be praying and fasting for a family as a little child. It humbles me beyond belief. So excited for you and your family!!!
Linny it is a little after midnight here in ok and I have to many things on my mind to sleep so I logged on to read and I have a feeling there is a certain jump ropping little girl with a huge smile on her face coming home soon to you! Please say I'm right as I thought the day you posted the picture of your hubby jumping rope and holding hands with her it lloked like a daddy playing with his daughter!
today for science in home school, we learned about the sonic boom… and that it shatters glass when it comes too close. It was amazing to watch experiments on video in slow motion. The glasses shook, then shattered. I bring this up because your life moves even faster. And it shatters things like "orphans," "heartache," "disease," and "depression." Your very essence is such a powerful expression of God's love and power! You are like the sonic boom factor in the spiritual world– you don't even have to touch the things for them to break and fall away! You and DW are such a powerful team. You amaze me with your humble love and compassion. You inspire me with your marriage, and you give me hope for our small family of 7 that our new babies will eventually get HERE where they belong. I love you to pieces.
I'm up at midnight, not sleeping. Wandered over to the computer and found this latest installment. Praying for this new little one. And for sweet Ruby Grace. You guys are amazing.
Praising the Lord for the heart you have for orphans. Amazed at your husbands willingness to continue adding so many littles to the family. After 3, my husband has called it quits! I'm still praying to bring at least one more home. My heart yearns for the orphans too (as does my husbands). Waiting to see what big way God continues to move for you and anxious for God to move for us again too.
-Heather
Oh My Goodness – I can NOT wait for part 2!!!!!! Amazing post!!!!!
Oh man! Not even a pic! You are getting a little to good at keeping everyone hanging! 🙂 Love it though…
Wow! How cool:) So the boys are going to be way out numbered!!
You are so not nice!
You are a tease…just leaving us hanging like this! LOL! Can't wait for the next chapter of this story to be written. I'm so excited for you all!!!! Holy, Holy, Holy is He that could bring this all together.
Love and blessings,
Teresa
So, I went back and looked through the pictures from when you were in Uganda. It's the girl with the pink headband, with the flower, right??? Okay, well that's my guess, and I can't wait to hear the rest of the story and see pictures. 🙂
Oh you're good Linny….real good!! Boy, you surrreee know how to leave people hanging….don't ya? Jesus didn't leave his people "hanging" on by the seat of their pants just waiting to hear the end of the story (parable)…now did He? I think NOT!!! Just remember that dear, sweet Linny!!! ~wink, wink~ (only giving you a hard time) Can't wait to hear this one unfold!
-Jen
what a precious 1st half of the story… praying she IS yours!!!! Can't wait for the next part!
Woman! I got 5 kids to take care of (sometimes more sometimes less, depending on who crashed here last night). I don't have time for your wonderful guessing games! There. I said it. So, is she yours or someone else's????? I HAVE to know! 😉
Oh no! your are doing that again! Leaving us with the suspense!
Oh yes! your are doing that again! Adding a little one to your great family!
Laura
I am covered in goosebumps. Seriously from head to toe! I can't wait to hear the rest of this story! You and your family are such an inspiration! God is doing some MIGHTY work through you my dear!
Simply amazing! I feel so blessed to "know" you and your family, even only though the blog world! I must say that you and your family truly inspire me to be a better Christian and to follow Him. Can't wait to hear what comes next!
Chills! God is so good! God is so good! He is so good to me – and you and ______!
I love this!
Oh Linny,
yesterday i thought, your friend that got married on your potch was going to addopt Elliot but now….
i'm guessing it might be the beautifull girl in the rope skipping picture with your sporty husband 😉
Love you and your family and the A-W-E-S-0-M-E GOD we serve!
Adriana
Are you adopting her? When did Emmy go on the trip? Praying…
Just wanted to let you know I so needed to hear good news so I headed to your blog this morning in hopes that you would have shared more after that last stinking teaser! Thanks for sharing… your good news is a salve to my hurting heart this morning. Keep it coming! :0)
YEAH!! There's a little girl from some of your pictures that I am just smitten with! I've been praying she finds a family. Maybe it's her!! Either way, what a blessing to these beautiful children, fasting and praying for families! A great example of Faith to them!!!
That is so exciting! Love how the LOrd moves in your heart.
It breaks my heart to think children are fasting and praying for a family. And there are people here who would love to adopt them. I think our churches need to help these familes bring these precious children home.
Wooohooooo!!! This is my prayer for our family! I am sooooooo excited! I have a praise report! My husband and I talked about the possibility of me going to Uganda with my friend Kim in the fall…although he isn't too sure about it "yet" he said I could go if I could get the money and the kids were taken care of while he worked!!!!! THIS IS HUGE:)
Ohhhh Linny…I want more of the story…NOW!!!!!!
Kathe
oh dear. don't make us wait. although i'm sure those precious little orphans are used to waiting. for everything. in the meantime, i'll be praying for those orphans. that they get their forever families.
Beautiful. I love this! God is good.
Linny, Linny, Linny………what are you doing to us !!!!! Don't ya know we can't stand the suspense. If I lived closer I might have to come oer and slap you around a little ;)))) – but then I'd give you a great big ole bear hug ! NOW ……….hurry up with the rest of your story already !!! xoxoxo
How totally awesome our God is!! I am so excited for you. I pray to become a momma to one of these children one day!! I break every time I read your posts about these orphans. I love that they were fasting and praying for their forever family, that is soooo you!! Keep it up.
OH MY GOODNESS! The anticipation! I can't wait to hear how this story ends. 🙂
Wow simply amazing! I am so ver glad that God is adding children to your family for such a time as this!Blessings! Janet
🙂
waiting for the story to fully unfold 🙂
I think it will keep unfolding until Messiah comes and rules the world, can't wait! 😀
Dear TM,
In my house full of boys we have a set amount of "time" that the children can be on the computer,video system and watching TV per day.
As a result of my addiction to your blog(stalking to find out what the scoop is). I am now hearing "mom, you are always on that computer! Isn't you time up?"
Please Please Please Help Me Out. Are you bringing another precious treasur home??
Thank You for you prompt response. Your #1 blog stalking friend.
Shanna
Now, Linny, I have to go back to work in two weeks, so you can't possibly drag this out TOO long….I won't be able to refresh your page dozens of times in a day.
But, I am wondering why did you put the word PINK so many times in the previous post?
OK, is she the jumprope princess from 21 June photo? Can't wait to hear the rest of the story!! (:
seriously so rude to leave us hanging like this :). I'm sure you're just over there chuckling as usual. Honestly! :)))) You know you're contributing to my internet addiction…..can't wait to hear the rest (ASAP!!!!!)
seriously so rude to leave us hanging like this :). I'm sure you're just over there chuckling as usual. Honestly! :)))) You know you're contributing to my internet addiction…..can't wait to hear the rest (ASAP!!!!!)
Praying that God makes His perfect plan known in His perfect timing!
Brooke Annessa
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.blogspot.com
WOW Linny! Praying so hard for all of these beautiful children!!!
How it breaks my heart to know they don't have a families!!!
God please, please bless all of the children to have an family here on earth; please, please give them their hearts desire; God please hear our prayers.
Thank you for loving them all and going to be with them! Please know that we are with you in spirit too!
Please give them all a HUGE hug and lots of love from me, next time you or DW, or Emma go to be there…PLEASE!
this makes me SMILE. cannot wait to hear the continuation. praying for you & your family (present & future).