On August 13th of last year, I blogged about a new venture, a website we felt called to start. We bought the domain name and paid for 1 year of hosting in faith. 1 year. That’s all we could commit to. We wondered if it would catch on, hoped it would, and prayed it would somehow over cyberspace serve families considering adoption, in the process of adopting, parenting adopted children, interested in orphan care, or supporting others who have adopted. Families like us. I needed a place like We Are Grafted In.
We set out to post pieces from varied contributors from all different neighborhoods of the adoption community unified by the God-given purpose of sharing, encouraging, fellowshipping, preparing while being real. No sugar coating for sugar coating’s sake. Real. Honest. Vulnerable. With that commitment have come some pretty posts and some not-so-pretty posts. Some of the posts have made me laugh out loud with joy, and some have made my heart ache. But, in each, there is hope. Because as one author so poignantly put it, “I am selfish. He gives generously. I get agitated. He is slow to anger. I am confused and clueless. He is perfect wisdom. I make mistakes. His grace covers me. My love is weak. His love is oh-so-strong. And because I am His, I have access to all that He is.”
It’s work, a lot of work, work that I confess I sometimes do on late nights without joy, wondering why I’m doing this at all. But, I love WAGI. Working with Stephanie as we prayerfully consider posts and connecting with so many from the adoption community as we email back and forth with bios and pictures and permissions. Reading their words. Meeting their children. Encouraging families who are struggling. Helping a hurting mom know she is not alone. Hearing from an author that someone emailed her to tell her that because of her post, God moved in their hearts to pursue adoption. Celebrating new children being grafted into families. Loving what God loves. That’s joy.
We have committed to another year of WAGI, believing that God is blessing the ministry there–a ministry that exists online as a simple website that has grown into personal relationships and connections between authors and readers and families. But, I need to say now that I am prepared to let it go at any moment if it no longer brings glory to God or if God simply makes it clear that the season of that ministry is over. I am okay with that. I do not hold WAGI so close that the ministry itself has become greater than my Lord.
I’m thanking God for the ministry He has given to me right now, and we’re giving it to Him with our hands open to use it as He will.
Head on over to read the 1 year anniversary post on the We Are Grafted In site, a repost of my very first post, one that still gets me pretty excited when I read the words. And, also head on over to this post for a little giveaway. No birthdays are complete without a gift or two. And, keep your eyes open. The most read posts of the year may just be showing up again for a second showing.
