His Plans

Hi friends! Well, the last time I wrote, we'd frantically assembled a last-minute fundraising effort which you all went above and beyond to fulfill. We prayed that God's plan would be revealed as the funds were raised, and that He would do powerful things through the Schneider family with these funds that were raised to help bring home baby #3. Our prayers were answered, but the answer to one of those prayers left us all completely baffled.

Funds were donated just as we prayed they would be {THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED!}. And Heidi and Andy drove to Florida, arriving safely and making it in time to be at the hospital while the baby was born, just as we prayed they would be. They met him. They held him. They even named him. Hudson. He was a perfectly beautiful little boy. But this beautiful little boy wasn't meant to be theirs, even though we'd prayed and prayed. God's answer to our prayers was one no one expected – the birth mom changed her mind and decided to parent this sweet little one. What a whirlwind of emotions were stirred when this decision was revealed. Frustration. Anger. Uncertainty. Disbelief. Heartbroken, Heidi and Andy left the hospital and began their trek home...without Hudson. Now, very few of us have ever experienced anything quite like this, but I can only imagine that the drive home was one filled with raw emotion as they processed everything that had just transpired. None of it made sense. BUT, what did make sense was that we serve a God who can do mind-blowing things through times of hurt and brokenness. He has a plan, a perfect plan.

As I spoke with Heidi a few days after this all took place, I hung up the phone thinking, "God, you may have us all waiting in suspense to see what your plan is in all of this, but I know for a fact that you're going to use this experience to help each person touched by the Schneider's story to grow in some way." And as Heidi and I have discussed in the weeks after these events, she is also confident that through everything that's happened, she knows God is strengthening her and Andy, and she's hopeful that some day she can use their experiences to help and coach other adoptive families navigate this crazy journey of adoption. Frankly, given all that they've gone through, I'm PUMPED to see what God's going to do - because I'm confident He's got BIG THINGS planned for them!

So, what about the funds that were donated, you ask? Well, rest assured, Heidi and Andy are not on a beach somewhere tropical enjoying a nice vacation on your donated dime.  The money donated will still be used for the adoption of baby #3, whenever God is finished preparing the little one meant to join their family. And a portion of the donated funds will also help cover many of the costs that unfortunately will not be reimbursed through this failed adoption (i.e. gas money, flight costs to meet the birth mom, meals while they were gone, etc.). We're anxiously waiting to see what the next step is in God's plan to add to the Schneider family – and we'll be sure to update you as soon as there's any news to report.

In the meantime, please continue to keep the Schneiders in your prayers as they take this all in and try to prepare mentally and emotionally for the new little one who will hopefully {very} soon join their family. Thank you, thank you, thank you once again to all who donated – you have no idea what every penny has meant to this family! Now we're left to wait ... on His Plan.