...you show up.
I'm still trying to fully process the other day, in awe of how it all unfolded.
It's no secret that one of my passions is advocating for orphans. So, when our recent Hearts of Hope event was coming on the horizon, I was excited about making a connection with someone in our community who has some local celebrity status of sorts--a person who knows the "ins and outs" of media communications and has vast experience with those types of outlets. It was a simple "you two have to meet" left as a comment by a dear mutual friend when I wrote a post seeking a little help with artistic design. And then a friendship, in a Facebook kind of way, was formed.
A couple of days later, I received an automated email invitation from his office to accept an appointment ten days later. I accepted. He ended up bringing his son to our event, which was so nice, and we talked a bit. It was then that, in our conversation, he mentioned that he and his wife had just adopted a little girl. Of course, I could almost feel my eyes brighten 200% as we were speaking my favorite language now.
As the days rolled by, I became less and less aware of why I needed to go to that appointment and debated with the idea of cancelling. But something always distracted me, and something always kept that appointment on the books.
By Wednesday morning, I told Jimmy that I didn't even know why I was going, but--since I had committed to someone else's time--I would follow through. I pulled up to the studio and walked upstairs, greeted by a group of happy, smiling faces. I met Ryan, the person I was there to see, and he walked me over to their meeting/conference room. We sat down and I immediately confessed my non-purpose for being there--that I really didn't know why I came but figured it would be good to know all about the services their studio offered. And then, I pulled out a copy of With an Open Heart that I'd brought along and presented it as a gift. The conversation of adoption was opened, and I was able to share our story and the deep meaning behind Open Hearts for Orphans, the ministry created in memory, and honor, of our son.
He suddenly pushed his laptop aside and opened up a whole new world of conversation as he revealed that he has been planning, in his mind, an event--specifically an adoption event to share stories of encouragement in hope of attracting more families to adoption. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be in that space at that moment and thankful for the opportunity--always--to share our testimony. We brainstormed and shared resources, we planned and imagined, all exciting stuff. The date's closing in soon, but this amazing man is dedicated to absorbing all of the expenses for the event and for taking charge of the marketing and promotion with his strong influence. All I need to do is show up.
I shook my head in disbelief, and as we ended the meeting, I shrugged my shoulders and said to him, "Who called this meeting? Did you? Did I??" And neither one of us could answer. He had no earthly idea why I was supposed to be there.
It was then that I knew exactly who called that meeting. He's there in all the details. I'm thankful I accepted the invitation.
It was then that I knew exactly who called that meeting. He's there in all the details. I'm thankful I accepted the invitation.
