You never know.....

Sunday night as I sat watching the Super Bowl, I was reminded that God can do some pretty amazing things with our life if we allow him. I was somewhat distracted as I watched the game by my thoughts. I had read numerous articles last week about players in the Super Bowl, the coaches being brothers, and the sex industry that comes along with such an event. My thoughts were on these things more than they were on the real game as the lights in the stadium went out.

I found myself glancing over at my boys from time to time and thinking about what they would become someday. It may not be that God wants them to become NFL players but He has something big lined up for them. Every once in a while Tia or one of the other four adopted children who were watching the game with us would come into the room and I would think the same.

Years ago, Leigh Anne Tuohy had no idea when she saw a needy teenage boy that someday she would be be standing on a football field celebrating the fact that her son had won the Super Bowl. Instead she saw a broken teenager that needed love, guidance and to have his physical needs met. She took a risk when others said she shouldn't to give him love, discipline and care.

I do not know Leigh Anne Tuohy and I will probably never meet her but as I watched the interaction of her and Michael Oher after the game I was filled with emotion. I know the deep love of an adoptive mom and how desperately hard the steps were for her to walk with her son from his teenage years to the present. How many times she wondered if she had made the wrong choice for her family, how many tears she had shed for him, and how many days she rejoiced as she watched him progress. I am sure there were moments where she longed for him to truly feel loved and for him to be able to give love back. There were maybe sleepless nights as she prayed for God to do what only He could do in healing the hurt that life had brought to him.

Why do I know these things? I know because I have adopted kids. Kids who didn't choose to need a family other than their biological one. Kids who always will look back and in some ways wonder why it had to be this way. Children who do not know how to receive love because they haven't really experienced true, unconditional love. Then comes the joy when you see them grow into what God has formed them to be. The moments where they begin to get it-

In the case of Michael Oher he has a huge platform to show what can be if others are willing to step up and invest even when others say you shouldn't.  I am sure as a young teenage boy he couldn't even begin to dream of what his life would be today. He couldn't imagine even finishing high school much less winning the Super Bowl. He couldn't imagine it until the Tuohy family took a risk and loved him.

I love what Mrs. Tuohy said, "Families do not have to match. You do not have to look like someone else to love them. There are wonderful kids all over this country and the world who want a forever family. We believe there are no unwanted kids, just unfound families."

Now I have no idea what the 7 adopted kids that I watched the Super Bowl with will become one day but I do know one thing- They will know that they are loved, cared for and accepted. When they know these things they will be able to be whatever He has created them to be..........

I am challenging you to take a risk with a child- You (and they)  will be so glad that you did! Are you an unfound family?