Believing in What's Bigger and Better

We prayed. We fasted. We came together in the name of family.

We believed BIG things for the Kingdom of God, for Lifa and for me.

The “WE” part made everything better. The “WE” praying from opposite ends of world, sending us off in prayer from base, and in a truck with me for 8 hours today. WE interceded and asked for more from God than we could expect or understand.

Well…

You know how HE is…

BIGGER AND BETTER than that!

I was floored, delighted and overwhelmed by His presence and provision on the 4-hour car ride to meet Lifa’s father.
I was beside myself when we picked him up from work… he looks like Lifa. I could almost feel Lifa by being in such close proximity to his lineage. This was a big deal! I was trembling. I wanted to stare. To touch him. To hug him. Instead, to be culturally appropriate, I avoided eye contact and made “I’m-About-To-Explode!!!” faces to my friend Mzwandile on my other side.

Ready for the bigger and better part!?!

ARE YOU!?!

LIFA WAS THERE!!!!!

I had put every ounce of effort I had in me assuring myself that today was not the day I would see Lifa. His father said that he was staying at a granny’s house far from him, so we were just going to meet and start relationship with the dad.

HE WAS THERE!

I ran! I bawled. Right there in the middle of the crowd.
Lifa was calm, quiet, shell-shocked. After four months of transitions and four months of not being oogled over and kissed at every waking moment, he’s not as expressive or “sparkly-eyed” as he was before I left for the States in December.

His come-back won’t take long though!

I couldn’t control the tears or the love that came pouring out of me. Everyone in the room felt it. Especially Lifa, who clung to me speechlessly, and his father, who kept a delighted eye on us – noticing the way Lifa looked at me.

I shared my Lifa books – and the father had to cover his face to hide his own emotions. As I shared gifts, clothes, food and hugs, Pastor Sthembiso shared my heart for Lifa to Lifa’s father in SiSwati.

You prayed it into existence. Lifa’s father, Jobulani, felt so loved that we made the drive to see him and Lifa. He was overwhelmed by gratitude. He and Lifa have lived a swinging door lifestyle since Lifa was abandoned by his mother at 7 months, always moving in and out of new houses and new communities. The roots he could feel in our love meant something bigger to him. The roots spoke family. Your prayers were heard.

Today I hit every emotion on the charts… and was so very loved by the family all around me here as they allowed me to cry and hurt when I had to say goodbye and then celebrated with me when I was ready to cheer.

But even more important than my emotional Ricther Scale is the significance in today. 
Providence and promises came alive today. 
Your words brought to life by His Spirit. Thank you, family.



Lifa’s father is going to talk to his extended family for approval, and then we are praying that Lifa can come stay with me for a few days after Easter.

When Pastor shared my heart for Lifa, he told Lifa’s father that I was willing and would be honored to care for Lifa in my home.

We put it out there.

And we’ll pray.

We’ll pray that God keeps doing that Bigger and Better thing He’s so good at. And family love gets bigger and better for Jobulani, starting at the roots rather than the fruit. We’ll pray that Jobulani and I both see the most loving thing for Lifa and for himself and can take an obedient role in God’s Bigger and Better plans.

I touched him. I kissed him. I loved on him. I had a lap full of him. TODAY.
It’s surreal. It’s bigger and better than anything I could have imagined.


I believe in the Bigger and Better, and can’t wait to see what’s next!