On Friday evening we attended a fundraising dinner for Angels Foster Family Network, which was founded and run by my good friend, Jennifer. The theme for the night was Storytelling with special guest Leigh Anne Tuohy sharing her family’s story that inspired the movie The Blind Side.
If you’ve seen the movie, you know it’s an amazing story of rescue and hope that changed the course of Michael Oher’s life and that of her biological family forever. Hope to the hopeless, she pleaded is something we each have to offer to someone else and it may just change their whole life story.
My friend, Jennifer, has her own story of rescue and hope that was shared at the event in a video narrated by her 10-year-old adopted daughter. The reason behind Jennifer’s passion for foster care and adoption. A passion that is now changing lives and creating new stories of hope where we live.
One of those stories of hope entails another friend of mine, Erin, who was also at Friday night’s event. But, the story is not just about her. It’s much bigger. It’s really a story about our great, faithful, loving and sovereign God!
Just six weeks ago Erin received the gut-wrenching news upon the birth of the baby she had planned to adopt that the birth mom had changed her mind. You can imagine the emotional turmoil and swirling questions that consumed Erin and all of us that are close to her in the days and weeks after this failed adoption.
Anger, sadness, grieving. Why did God allow this? Why is this His plan? We didn’t understand and couldn’t see the story that He was writing behind the scenes.
After news hit that this adoption wasn’t going to happen, I called Jennifer and asked her if she could help find another baby who needed a forever home. Jennifer had met my distraught friend over the summer at a Bible study at my house, but neither had any idea at the time the road that they were about to walk together…
The process began with Erin getting paperwork turned in to Angels in hopes of a baby becoming available for adoption. But what happens next is truly unbelievable…
Out of the blue, Jennifer received an email from a woman, 8-months pregnant, looking to give her baby up for adoption.
This was not the normal email she receives. Normally she is contacted by people wanting to foster, wanting to adopt; but this was someone just weeks shy of giving birth looking to give her child a home. Only God could orchestrate the timing of this unfolding story!
Jennifer had the perfect “Mommy” in mind for this birth mom and went in to full-swing to work out details and legalities while keeping it on the down-low because of what happened previously. Yesterday that child was born and Erin became her mom!
This was the child that God had for her all along. This child’s name is Esther…and she is a true testimony of God’s faithfulness and provision to God’s people, just as Queen Esther was in the Bible.
And little Esther’s middle name… Hatton!
I know! Completely humbling to have a child unrelated to me take on our name. But the reason Why is her story…
Jennifer through Angels received the email that ultimately led to Erin’s new baby angel. But had Erin not come to the Bible study at my house and to our church she would not have met Jennifer initially. What a privilege that God used me and our family as His Instruments to connect them together “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)… Who would’ve known?
Only the Great StoryMaker Himself!
Looking back at the story that has unfolded over these past weeks, I can’t help but think that God’s glory shines even brighter now because of the pain, suffering, loss and hopelessness that was experienced. Only He could providentially order things the way He did. And though we will still have questions, we trust and see that He is good…that He is faithful…that He is in control…that He loves to bestow blessings on His children! With the greatest blessing of all- the story of His Son, our Redeemer, who became sin so we would know no sin giving us a new story… our own stories of Rescue and Hope! To God Be the Glory for the Great Things He Has Done!Don’t want to miss any post? Enter your email on the upper right-hand column after “Follow blog via email”.
What an incredible story that only God could orchestrate! Thanks for sharing.
Erin is one of my son’s favorite teachers at Edmond North High School. I have only met her a couple of times but can certainly understand why the kids like her so much. Warmth and love emanate from her! I am praising God with her and all of you because she now gets to share her love with a baby of her own. God is SO good!
God is SO good! Thanks for commenting, Cathy. You are so right about Erin radiating love… I also have a child at North; Erin is her swim coach and my daughter adores her!
My heart is so warm and full from this beautiful love story! So glad you shared!
Erin is a dear friend. I could not be happier for her and baby Esther. I know the wait was so hard and heart wrenching. I also know that this is truly God’s plan. Happy Mother’s Day to you new mom. Enjoy every moment!
Thanks for posting, Brandje. As a fellow friend of Erin’s I look forward to meeting you sometime! I will make sure she sees your comments directed to her!
I have read this story many times and tear up every time. I have know Erin for many years and think of no other person more deserving of this to happen. So very happy for Erin and baby Esther. They both have been blessed with each other!