buckle up - guest post

(this is a post from Stefanie at Ni Hao Y'all)

If you're not a Christian, this post is not for you.

If God hasn't pricked your heart to the plight of the orphan, stop reading now.

But if you're still with me, I've got something to say. And it's not wrapped up with a bow, nice and pretty and polite.

So buckle up.

What are you doing? To make a difference in the life of an orphan?

Right now?

I believe that God uses us all uniquely for His purposes. Some He calls to care for the orphan. And this 'orphan care' has many faces... but the common heart is doing something, some thing, for orphans.

Sponsoring children. Knitting blankets. Volunteering. Spreading the word. Collecting pennies to donate. Praying diligently.

And while I have no idea what that looks like for you, I know it's been nothing short of a revelation for me. We were called to adopt. No hemming. No hawing.

One day my eyes were closed and the next day they were opened. And as quickly as that, God planted that seed in my heart for orphans and no matter how much I might have wished to 'go back' over the years (not many, by the way) there simply is no going back.

I have seen. And I am responsible to act.

And if you have had that same seed planted, to love and care for the orphan, so are you.

It might not mean adoption, true. But it might. And if you think that you're fooling God by spouting off with all sorts of excuses, you're not. God's heart is for the orphan and time and time again He has revealed Himself to be the Provider for the fatherless. In our journey and in countless other adoption journeys we have been blessed to witness His hand at work.

There is no excuse good enough to justify closing your eyes.

And pretending like it's not there.

And that you can't afford to give up some time and energy to care and love another.

Or that "once x, y or z happens" then you'll consider adoption.

Or that the $25,000 it costs to adopt is more than God can possibly provide.

I'm not buying it.

Adoption isn't easy. Sometimes it's downright tough. But is the God who sent His only Son as a sacrifice for you and for me not allowed to ask you to do something that might be occasionally difficult? For Him? For one of His children?

Really?

So, if your face is burning and your stomach is turning, that's the Holy Spirit tapping you on the shoulder, again.

This post is for you.