Three Years: The Miracle of Brokenness

It’s been a year since I’ve written and so much has happened in one year…both joy and heartache.

But today I am especially thankful that on this day three years ago we met our precious daughter in China.

THREE YEARS!!!

That surpasses the time Jenna was without us…praise God!

And during these three years…we’ve experienced so much joy, love and abundance.

Jenna is full of life…her smile lights up the room and her laughter is contagious.  She is smart, sassy, and silly.  She loves learning and talks nonstop!  She loves playing with friends, especially her older brothers and sister.  She loves to cuddle and give hugs and kisses.  And although she enjoys pizza and ice cream, Jenna still loves eating rice and noodles…you can take the girl out of China but not the China out of the girl! 

 

However, all of the joy has not been without grief.

All of the love has not been without pain.

And all of the abundance has not been without brokenness.

Talking with Jenna about her tummy mommy, a woman I will always thank God for, is a privilege but also brings deep grief as I ponder what goes through this woman’s mind each day concerning her daughter and that I wish I could tell her that our daughter is absolutely amazing!

Watching Jenna grow and experience new milestones thrills my heart but also causes pain as I will never know what she experienced...both good and bad...during the first few years of her life. 

Listening to Jenna ask questions about God and heaven and why Jesus died for us makes my heart smile but ushers in brokenness as I realize fresh and anew our desperate need for Him.

Adoption is a miracle…but miracles are often birthed out of grief, pain, and brokenness.

In the words of Ann Voskamp, “God does great things through the greatly wounded.  God sees the broken as the best and He sees the best in the broken and He calls the wounded to be the world changers.” (The Broken Way, p. 24).

As I look at pictures from three years ago in China, my heart aches when I once again consider all that Jenna has experienced…all of the grief, pain, and brokenness.

But it is through this lens that I see the miracle of a little girl that will not only change the world but of one who has already changed mine.