The China Sessions: 5 -

This afternoon I was spring trimming one of our young oak trees; 

I'd just manually sawed off a limb about 3" thick, and was dragging it down to the street 

when I felt something tickling my left arm. 

I looked down, expecting to see a giant carpenter ant

 (that love dropping out of trees onto me - subtropics life).... but instead it was a ladybug. 

I immediately smiled, because ladybugs are so associated with adoption. 

When my dear friend Laurie was adopting their 2 little boys from China, 

the sight of a ladybug was enough to bring happy tears. Worth photographing. 

Worth calling her up to tell her I saw one and had just been praying for her boys. 

I smiled and reached for it, but it fluttered its tiny wings and flew away. 

As I walked back up the driveway, I thought about that little ladybug's visit. 

I thought how I'd flown in for a quick little visit to the orphanage, 

and only stayed for a very little while, yet brought so much love with me when I came. 

I thought of why that ladybug had been "sent" to me, and why I'd been sent to China. 

And how we both bear the name of the King upon us. 

That ladybug was made by God to visit me for a little while and remind me Jesus loves me. 

I was made by God to live much longer, but also visit many people and to remind them that Jesus loves them.

A love so strong that you almost didn't believe it existed or could be true. But it IS. Undeniable LOVE. 



"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" 
~ 1 John 3:1 ~

It was hard to fly away from our little orphans. It was not the cheery flight of the ladybug. 

There were tears. There was an ache that was unexplainable, but we all knew it and bore it quietly. 

We spent a lot of time journaling. Scrolling through our photos again and again. 

 But we knew why we crossed oceans in His name, and it was because He called us to. 

Going was one of the hardest and best things I've ever done with my life. 

I cannot speak enough to listening to a calling God has placed on your heart. 

It's there for a reason, and that is because He intends to show you Himself. 

and We saw Him. In every face. We saw Him. 

Click here to visit AWAA.org to learn more on waiting children in China! 

With love, 

Jean Marie