I decided for WMD today to share a post from one of my friends, Amy Lusk, who really captures the heart of the Father with her words.

Wednesday, we said goodbye to our Sweet Sunshine, the dark eyed, curly haired, mischievous thirteen month old who taught us how to love like a Mom and a Dad the past nine months. We rejoice in the fact that she has a Mama who put forth a lot of effort and fought hard to be reunited with her – because Baby M is a special girl, and she deserves nothing less than to be loved and fought for. We are proud of her Mama for the determination she has shown and are happy that a mother and daughter were reunited. And, we are truly grateful she offered us the opportunity to continue to be a part of their lives. But, at the same time, our hearts are grieving. Our hearts have never known a loss this great.

We’ll miss waking up every day to Miss Sunshine’s wild, tangled bed hair and sweet, gummy-toothed grin, all her hugs and kisses, the playtime squeals and giggles, her stubborn sassiness and hilariously expressive eyebrows, the nap time songs and prayers, the wildly enthusiastic bath time splashing, and the bedtime stories and snuggles. We never expected to fall so hard for this little girl, but she had our hearts before we knew it. We held nothing back. We poured every ounce of love we had into her…because she deserved nothing less than a love like that.

Children in foster care cannot flourish and thrive under a half-hearted, self-preserving, distant love. They deserve our all and nothing less. They deserve a love that sacrifices, a love willing to suffer and risk the reality of a broken heart, a love that lays down its life for the sake of another…because Christ offers us a love like that, and we are called to be like Him. We are called to be a reflection of Jesus in a lost and broken world. Our Heavenly Father’s heart breaks for these children and these broken families. If His heart breaks, why should we seek to protect and guard ours?

When Baby M left our home, we faced a heart-rending emptiness. But, God is faithful, and He is holding us together. Even now, He is filling us back up so that we can do it all over again. In His perfect timing, He made sure that even though our hearts may feel empty for the moment, our arms won’t be (with the arrival of Baby “Isaac” a few weeks ago). Even in the middle of all our pain, and brokenness, and emptiness, the Lord is present. And, He is enough.

Please keep our sweet baby and her Mama in your prayers. Please pray for their protection and safety and that they will know and understand how very much God loves them. Please pray for an easy transition for Baby M, that she will adjust to her new environment, that she will be able to sleep well, and that she will not feel confused and her little heart will be at peace. And, please keep our families in your prayers as well. She was a huge part of our lives, and we all miss her and love her so very much. She is a joy and a blessing, and we are grateful we were given the opportunity to love and care for her.

Amy