Sweet...

How sweet is this! (Our little Sweetie at 6 months.) To think that in less than 24 hours Todd will be meeting her for the first time. I think his heart is about to explode.

When we first learned that the family in Africa was willing for us to adopt the baby, I began packing my bags, gathering gift preparing passports, researching, etc. I was ready. I thought we would get on a plane, go to Togo and get our baby and come home. Let's see...that was...17 months ago!

I soon learned there is a process. Even though both families are agreeable, there are still laws and processes. In going to the Togo website, I saw that there had not been an inter country adoption in over six years. I also "noticed" a line that said, "If you already have biological children, you are not permitted to adopt." My thought was that, the family has said yes to us. They want this. We will certainly be exempt.

We contacted the Us Embassy in Lome. We also called the State Department. Without us asking, they contacted each other and began working on our situation. Everywhere we turned, we seemed to have favor.

I will not forget the day that the State Dept. called me. They said that they had sad news, there was no way that we would be able to adopt this baby due to the fact that we already had our "own" children. I hung up the phone and went to my bed. I had a few tears. Then I tried to make myself cry more.

A conversation that I had in my head went something like this..."God, Why am I not crying more? This is sad, horrible news." Answer, "Did I tell you that this would not work? Did I say to stop?"

Me: "Well, actually, no. You said that this baby was ours. You said that we are to pursue her."

God: "I want you to continue to move forward on this. Act as if this is already a done deal. I am not limited by man. I am doing something here."

From that point, we continued to complete our home study, communicate with the Embassy, pray, stay in touch with the family, pray some more, etc. As we have walked out in this, we have seen the hand of God in remarkable ways.

As we have prayed, our heart for Togo has grown. Our heart for the orphans of the world have grown. We have become more involved in issues of compassion, justice, injustice. We have seen that this is not just about the Hedgepeths getting a beautiful baby girl, and her getting a forever family. This is about God's dream coming true...about destines being fulfilled, about nations being set free.

How humbling to know that God wants us to be a part of seeing His purposes established on the earth. We are grateful and privileged! Right?

Guess what? During this time, it is our understanding that the laws have changed in Togo. Families with biological children are now eligible to adopt.

"He sets the lonely in families."

-Psalm 103:3

Praise God for the changes that have come to Togo! Please pray...

*that laws would continue to be changed, allowing children to be adopted into good families.

*that adoption agencies would be put in place (currently there are no adoption agencies in Togo)

*that advocates of orphans would be raised up in this country, being a voice for the voiceless

*that in our situation, there would be no more hold ups! That we would be able to bring our baby home.

Thank you so much. We are grateful for your prayers and your love!

And he's off!

Todd is currently in the air, on his way to Lome, Togo...via Casablanca, Morocco and Accra, Ghana. We have never been more excited about a trip than this one!

When we first began this particular part of our journey, we did not even know if the baby was a boy or girl! We just knew it was our baby. Then, we found out she was a girl. My arms just ached to hold her close to me, to sing her to sleep, to comfort her. I could not believe how much love I had for her without ever seeing her.

There have been times when my heart has ached so much, the Lord has reminded me of His heart for His children. His heart aches for those that are far from Him. He desires that ALL would come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ...to be adopted as FULL sons and daughters.

We are praying, not only for our adoption to go through quickly, but also for the nation of Togo to come into a full understanding of what it means to have a "spirit of adoption". That the Togolese people would come into that saving knowledge of Jesus Christ...that they would be "adopted" as full sons and daughters. That they would walk out in that reality. That they would know the love of The Father.

The Lord has used Isaiah 62 to speak to us regarding our daughter. Here is a portion...

"Foreign countries will see your righteousness, and world leaders your glory.

You'll get a brand new name, straight from the mouth of God.

You'll be a stunning crown in the palm of God's hand,

a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God.

No more will anyone call you Rejected,

and your country will no longer be called Ruined.

You'll be called 'My Delight' "...

-The Message

Please be praying as Todd goes to our daughter. Please pray that

*God would go before him and prepare the way

*Gabrielle would recognize Todd

*Todd could clearly communicate our love and appreciation to the family

*the Togolese people would come into a greater understanding of God as their Father

This journey truly is amazing!

Out of Africa...the time is now

Ashley was almost 3 when she asked me, "When are we getting our brown baby?"

"Well Honey...I'm not sure." Where did that come from? How do you answer that question? At the time we were in the throws of infertility. (Todd and I were asking the Lord for another baby, but that was between Todd, God and me.) Was God trying to get my attention through this "wee one"?

A year later, I was finishing up a week of teaching with YWAM-Atlanta. I was teaching on World View. It had been such a great week. I ended with a question and time of waiting on the Lord. I asked, "What are the dreams that God has, that He is waiting to fulfill through YOU?" As soon as the question was out of my mouth, a picture came into my mind of a little black child in our family. All the way home to Charlotte, I "pondered it in my heart."

We had talked about adoption, and what would that look like for our family. As Todd and I prayed, we really felt that "we were not to actively pursue adoption, but that the Lord would bring a baby across our path." "What does that mean?", I thought to myself. Would I open my door one day to find a babe in swaddling clothes? Maybe in a box with a note, "please care for my baby".

I continued to have dialog in my heart with the Lord. I know that He knows, even better than me, the deepest desires of my heart. One day, we received a call, asking if we would be interested in adopting a baby that was about to be born. What?!!!! Are you kidding? This was amazing. My heart was spilling over with joy. Oh, the possibility. This was God "bringing a baby across our path"! (We had not announced our heart to adoption. We remained very quiet about this issue).

Todd and I took some time to get away and pray. We asked the Lord if this was our baby. We really sought the Lord. After our weekend, we sensed that we were to say no. For me, it was a bit hard. I asked the Lord, "Why bring a baby, just to have us to say no?" He was so kind and gentle. I really felt like He was showing me that He could DO IT. This was not the right timing, but He had not forgotten. He is the God who sees. He is the God who remembers. There was such HOPE placed in my heart that day.

Almost one year, to the day, Todd was in Atlanta for a YWAM-Atlanta Board meeting. When he came home, I was asking about the meeting, our friends, etc. After a few reports back, he said he had very sad news. Komi, our friend and fellow YWAMmer working in Atlanta, had just lost his sister. She died in childbirth in Togo, West Africa. I started crying. I knew it must be so hard to lose your sister and be so far from home and family.

I said, "Oh, we need to pray for Komi and his family." Todd said, "Vickie, there is one more thing...the baby survived." Long pause.....Ashley came into the room and asked why I was crying. We explained about the sad news, and that now the baby did not have a mommy. Immediately, "Maybe this is supposed to be our baby." Todd and I look over her head at each other. He goes to call Komi...

This happened 18 months ago. Since then, we have fasted and prayed. We asked the Lord is this was our baby. Not only did we get a "yes!" We got a name. We have been actively been pursuing our baby girl all this time. I have not blogged about the baby up until this time. I really wanted to be certain of the timing.

I have many miracles and stories to share. We have learned so many things through this process. I know that God does have dreams, and He want us to be a part of seeing them fulfilled!

I write now because Todd leaves in the morning for Lome, Togo. He will be gone for ten days. The purpose of this trip is to meet our daughter (who has been in the loving care of family), to pray, to acqaint himself with the country, to meet the family and government officials. This is really an assignment that we sense is from the Lord. We covet your prayers.

Each day that he is gone, I will be blogging about our story...the chapters that have led us to this point. The journey has been long, at times heart wrenching, but never have we felt separated from the Lord, His love or faithfulness.

I am asking that you, and your friends, would join in praying daily for our family for

1.protection

2.wisdom

3.divine appointments, and favor, with governement officials

4.financial provision for this trip

5.us to bring our daughter home now!

We are wanting to see a team of prayers warriors raised up. Please join us in this journey. We need you!

There are no words...

This morning the first words I heard were from Ashley as I crawled into her bed to wake her for school, her radio playing softly, "Oh Mommy! Have you heard about little Maria Chapman?" (Youngest daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman). It was 6:28 a.m. "No Honey. I have not heard anything."

"Mom, she was hit by the family's SUV. Mommy, she died."

I quickly looked up the article on the internet. I cried. Ashley and I prayed.

We have cried and prayed for the Chapman family, a family who is experiencing a depth of pain that cannot be put into words. We pray for God's grace, love and mercy to saturate their very being.

We, as a family, have been impacted by the music of Steven Curtis Chapman, but even more by the way he lives his life and the lifestyle of his family. Please join us in lifting up this family.

For more information, and to send condolences http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/

The Modern Day Devotional

Oh how I love the sight of a well worn devotional.

My grandparents house had devotionals tucked away in the sweetest of places. In the study, above the desk, behind the door. On an end table in the living room, the night stand in the bedrooms, the back of the toilet. They were never "strategically" placed to influence others. I believe they were simply in the places where they were read, studied and sought out for inspiration and encouragement.

I am fortunate enough to have "inherited" many of these precious books. They inspire and encourage another generation to walk in the ways of Jesus. I love to read these books and see my grandparent's handwriting, questions written in the margins, pages folded at places of meditation. I wonder what they were going through at the time of these readings. Times have changed, for certain. Truth has not.

A classic favorite for me is Oswald Chambers collection, "My Utmost for His Highest". Oh how it provokes me.

For Christmas, my mom-in-law gave me a devotional, "Letters from Ruth's Attic...31 Daily insights for knowing God's Love", by Ruth Bell Graham. I have been so encouraged by Ruth's insight. She shares simple stories from her life and then brings it back to Jesus. One day, while reading, it suddenly occurred to me...

Blogging is the modern day devotional! I find myself cozying up to my computer some days with a cup of coffee, expecting to be challenged to walk deeper, run harder, press further on than before. (Check out my "Stops Along the Way." You will be challenged and encouraged by Resolved2Worship, Jake and Janelle's, The Smiths in Kenya, just to name a few!)

When I started blogging, a friend asked "why?" She said she just did not get it. Well, I get a whole lot and I am grateful. Thank you friends for sharing your hearts, your struggles, joys and the incredible faithfulness of the Lord!

I pray that my simple ramblings will encourage others to walk deeper, run harder and press further on.

The Nilla Wafer...

I am blessed with crazy, awesome friendships. (That could be the beginning, middle and end of this post, really). I am so grateful for the precious friends in my life...near and far!


Through an amazing set of circumstances, I have come into a special group of friends. They are artists, sisters, joy givers, creators and true Southern Girls! For the last few years, we have gotten together for dinner and card making once a month. It is a time I look forward to each month. There are some Fridays that my spirit just aches to get to where they are. We laugh, cry, tease and encourage one another. Each one an artist...pushing my creative boundaries to new depths.



Last Friday was no different. Each girl had designed and made a card that we in turn made. (At the end of the night we all leave with 6 different handmade cards). At each "station" I had such an overwhelming sense of love and being loved. Each card was a reflection of the girlfriend who made it, and her love for us.


Tammy made the night extra special by bringing her "Now Famous!" banana pudding to celebrate birthdays. As we gathered around a simple table, we drank in laughter, as well as hot coffee. We found comfort in each others words, as well as in the pudding.


For a few hours, in the company of "sisters", we found shelter from the sorrow of a recently lost spouse and friend, the responsibilities of a special needs child, the pressures of business, the tugging of personal situations that are fresh on our hearts...We found shelter from a busy world.


Tammy shared her recipe with us. (It was so good that I stopped by the super market on the way home to get the ingredients.) I wanted to make this for friends stopping by our Hamewith, to find shelter, and wonderful comfort.


Ashley and I made this recipe over the weekend...


*1 box instant vanilla pudding
*1 cup of water
*6 oz. cool whip
*6 oz. sour cream
*1 can sweetened condensed milk


Combine together in a mixing bowl. Put a layer in the bottom of a glass bowl. Top with sliced bananas and Nilla wafers. Repeat. Top with a layer of the pudding mixture. Refrigerate.


This is when I began to think about the Nilla Wafer...


I wonder if this little vanilla cookie was created just for banana pudding? I mean, who really cries out for a Nilla Wafer out of the box? "Man, I just need a Nilla Wafer!" (Now, maybe an Oreo!) It is very simple, unassuming, and kinda, well, vanilla...but, it MAKES banana pudding.


How many things in my life are just simple and unassuming, and yet, make all the difference in the world?

I want to continually be walking out in the realization that I was created with a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11-14) and that I do make a difference in the world!

Just like my friends have made all the difference in my world!


Thanks, Friend...

at the end of an ordinary day

I do not want to post for posting sake. I want to write out of inspiriation. I want my words to be words of encouragement, to bring laughter for a moment, to provoke a thought every now and then.

Yesterday, I just felt that I had to post about Jackson and that part of our journey. Somedays with Jackson are amazing, others are days I can only get through by the grace of God. The reality is that we all have days like that. God has always been faithful to provide ALL that we need, right? When my eyes are on Him, my perspective is "spot on."

After posting yesterday, I reflected on the pure goodness of the Lord as we have traveled together these years. I look back and see the hand of God, ever present.

Then last night, after holding a newborn baby, making dinner, doing laundry, checking homework, giving hugs, signing agendas...the phone rings. "Hello, Hedgepeths."

For the next 30 minutes, I had a conversation with a mom who has just moved here with her family. She was given my name and number by a friend. This family knows they have been led to this area by the Lord. And, their young son is overcoming autism.

She shared her heart. After our conversation, I had to tell her that I am so proud of her. Her journey has not been as long (her little boy is much younger than Jackson) but it has been intense. To hear her heart, to hear God so BIG in her. I was so encouraged.

We definitely are getting together for dinner...soon. (Especially now that the oven works, right?!)

At the end of an ordinary day, I have seen the hand of God.