One More is...One More

     I am an "all or nothing" kind of person. "Go big, or go home," is a common mindset that I find myself having. If I think back over the course of my life, I have had big dreams, big gains, big losses, and big failures. But if I'm honest, it's been the little things that have tipped the scales in big ways. I have recently entered a season where God is showing me the importance and the impact of the "one". It pushes against my natural drive for the whole, but the "ones" are what make up the whole in the first place.
     If you saw my last post, then you know that our family will be welcoming 3 orphaned kids from Ukraine into our home for the summer. The night we decided on the sibling group to be hosted, I sat with my husband scrolling through all the photos of all the kids waiting for host families. As I scrolled through what seemed to be an unending list of children, another young lady kept catching my eye. I decided to read her bio. It described her as funny and outgoing. It went on to say the she has a love for gymnastics and for music. There was a video of her singing, and she honestly has one of the sweetest voices I've heard. She had specifically requested a Christian family who loves music, which I found interesting because none of the others had made such specific requests. As I read on, I noticed something extra special about her. She had no left arm. I sat there silent for just a moment. In that moment I felt something swelling in my soul. There was sadness, which I expected, but what was rising within was faith. This young lady sat there so poised, and it was evident that God had gifted her with a voice. A young girl with such potential. If only there was someone who cared enough to believe for her more than she believes for herself. Someone to coach her along and cheer her on. Someone to recognize that there is more to her than what meets the eye. Someone who sees who God sees. To see beyond the orphan; beyond the broken. I wanted to be that person! I looked over at my husband and broke the silence by yelling out all of my thoughts. My kids walked by, and knowing their mother, said, "Dad, Mom wants to host all the orphans." They know me. He knows me. All or nothing, only in this case "all" was an impossibility, and "nothing" was out of the question. My husband looked at me and lovingly stated what I already knew, "We can't host them all, honey." I know. I know! The thought of leaving the one behind haunted me for the weeks that followed.
     As our journey to welcome the 3 kids from Ukraine progressed, I couldn't help but check the photo listings to see if more kids were finding host families. Every time I looked with the hope that the young girl had been hosted, and each time I saw that beautiful young lady still in waiting. A week  before the hosting closed, my son wanted to see if each child had been matched with a host family. As he pulled up the page, I asked him to please tell me that the young lady we had been praying for had been hosted. Sadly, she hadn't. I sighed. My son knew by that sigh what I was thinking.
     Shortly after, the phone rang. God shows up in all kinds of ways, but that day it was by cell phone. It was someone whose prayers had been answered, and by their prayers being answered, so were mine. My husband walked through the door at that moment, and I told him of all the ways that our God was moving. I also mentioned the young lady still waiting for a family. He looked up from an email with a smile I'll never forget. That smile said, "Oh boy, what are we in for?" My son then chimed in, and spoke words that I can't seem to shake. He said, "It's only one more, but one more is one more."
     One more is one more. I thought on those words for days. I found myself wondering, "What difference am I really making? Are we crazy to take on ONE MORE?!" Then I remembered that Jesus went after the one. I am only one person, but He came after me, and He changed my life. He came after a girl who was broken and orphaned, and He now calls me His own. He believes more for me than I do for myself, and sees me like no one else does. I want these kids to know that they matter. That they are seen. I don't want a single child to ever feel alone or forgotten, and yes, I would love to be able to love on them all, but I can't. I may not be able to achieve the "all," but I won't reach for "nothing." If we can make room for one more then we will because one more is one more.

Until Next Time...

P.S. So, pending our home study, we will be welcoming 4 children into our home this summer.  Please keep us and these wonderful kids in your prayers. You can follow our journey here on the blog as well as Facebook and Instagram. You can also check out our progress at https://openheartsandhomes.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/schultzerichalahna1