When prayers get answered...

And you will meet people who take your breath away. Those angels who walk with God. Those angels whose souls shine so brightly that His love is mirrored in their smile. Remember, when you come across one of these human angels with an open heart, that it is like being in God's presence!

I remember when I first saw her in person, my beautiful granddaughter from Ethiopia. She came off the airplane with Amy and I could barely breathe just looking at her. For almost two years my daughter had sought her adoption. Against great odds. And when Ethiopia canceled adoptions, my Amy went there and sat so they could see her, knowing it was harder to turn down someone in person. Sihin was prayed for and there she was.

At long last. A thousand prayers later.

She is living proof of prayers being answered.

For those two years we had a map of Africa on our refrigerator. Bert cut out a red heart and put it on Ethiopia. Every day we kissed that heart and said a prayer. Willing her home to her forever family.

This girl. 

This beautiful girl with a soul that just sings.

This girl that grew up in an orphanage. If not adopted soon, since she was 14, she would have to leave and be homeless.

This girl that is grateful for running water after
having to walk miles and miles to carry safe water
in her homeland.

This girl that has God in her heart and love in her eyes.

This brave, brave girl who left all she knew to come to a land and family where she could have a chance at a new life.

This girl who gives to others so freely and works without complaint.

This girl, our Glory Sihin, gave herself the English name of Glory. To give Him Glory!

This girl, my granddaughter takes your breath away. God shines through her.

This girl has taught us gratitude and a love for learning and a willingness to never quit. English is her third language and here she is now, four years later, a member of the National Honor Society with AP classes and a 3.9 GPA. How is that even possible? Yet she studies and studies and never gives up.

I especially love the sparkle in her eye when she sees my husband Bert, affectionately called Boppa
by all of his grandchildren. Bert lights up when she comes in the room and she lights up when she sees Bert.

This week...this girl, who has already given her heart to God, is at a Young Life Camp in Canada. 
Malibu. In case you haven't heard, Young Life is a non-denominational Christian organization that works in high schools sharing the gospel.  I went to Malibu in 9th grade, met Jesus, gave Him my heart and have never been the same.

And now Glory Sihin is up there, in Canada, soaking in all God has in store for her.

She has been in my prayers all week and as I think of her I remember back to the first photograph I saw of her, that girl in the orphanage, the girl who had prayed and prayed for a forever family to love her.

I remember back to that map of Africa on our refrigerator, a heart on Ethiopia and kissing that heart. And praying unceasingly for His will to be done.

Yes truly, Glory is a reminder that God answers
prayers!

May God Bless you and keep you and hold you in the palm of His Almighty hand!

Love, Linda