Encouraged

What were you doing one year ago today? Is your life different? Better? Worse? One year ago today was the Tuesday of Spring Break 2011. A little tiny part of my life was changed a year ago today. You see there is a woman in my small city named Lanetta. I officially met her (through my camera lens) one year ago today.

I live in a small town where even if you haven't met everyone, you probably at least know a little bit about them. I knew Lanetta worked with my mom and best friend at the school. I knew she was married to some guy named Phil (I had heard they fell in love in high school) and I knew they had two little girls. About 6 months before we actually met I begin hearing more and more about Lanetta. She and her husband were going to adopt a little boy from a foreign country. They had been in this process for years, but I began hearing more details about it in the fall of 2010.

My mom told me she needed to barrow my camera one day after school. She brought back about 15 mins of raw footage that stole my heart. As I watched this woman whom I had never met before explained (with the help of her two little girls) why they were adopting I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. She and her husband (and their two little girls) believed with everything in them that God had called them to open up their lives and hearts to adoption.

It was a terribly tough road for them. Over and over they had resubmit paperwork, wait and wait and wait to be invited to physically go to the orphanage. Once they were finally in country they didn't even get to meet any kids for a couple of weeks. Turns out, instead of adopting a boy they met a set of twin girls and instantly "just knew" that those two girls were their daughters. After God provided the extra money needed to adopt two children instead of one (within about 24 hours) the court dates began. They had to meet with a temperamental judge something like 7 times (normal is 2 or 3) before they were able to bring the twins home.

All this time I was caught up in their story. My roommate and I would check her blog regularly to hear what was going on. (My roommate usually got to it first and kept me filled in. ;-) We shared their prayer requests with our church group in Oklahoma City. And finally we got word that they would actually get to bring the girls home, land in OKC, on March 15th 2011.

After having heard about Lanetta I finally got to meet her one year ago today. I stood three feet away as she introduced her new twins (3 yrs old at the time) to her other two girls (Kindergarten and 4th grade). I did everything I could to keep my camera from shaking as I cried joyfully when the twins jumped out if their stroller and gave their new sisters huge hugs.

This woman is incredibly obedient to God and I was getting to see the fruits of 3 or 4 years worth of trusting in Him when many others might say, "Maybe this is God's way of closing that door." Since meeting Lanetta (instead of just hearing about her) we have become friends and I have been repeatedly encouraged by her. She's a real person (not a "plastic christian") who believes in God and His ability and willingness to work in our world. She's been in the dark areas of life where we ask, "God, did I hear you right? Are you going to come through?" She's also seen the blessing and fruits of trusting in Jesus as Lord with ALL of your life. We've gone to get coffee and laughed hysterically late into the night. We've poked fun at each other often (we have a similar sense of humor.) She's encouraged me often with a text, or Facebook comment that just says, "praying for you" or even a time or two she sent me specific scriptures that she's prayed over me. I've gotten to know her girls (all four of them) over the past year and they are precious.

I've added Lanetta to my list of "People to be like." Obviously the ultimate person to imitate is Jesus himself and that should always be my end-all goal. But, I think it is right for us to also look towards people that we see the work of God in their lives. There are actually several names on my list (both my mother and father are on it for one) but Lanetta has been added too.  :-) "When I grow up..." I want to be as much of an encourager to others as she has been to me through the example of how she lives her life.

Here is the video of her whole family being together for the first time ever. Watch, enjoy, and celebrate with them that God brought them all together and they got to spend the first moments together as a 6 person family one year ago today: