Trial’s Fruit

Atop the orphanage perimeter wall is barbed wire, commonplace in Addis Ababa. However, intertwined with the jagged, cold metal are the most beautiful, flourishing flowers I’ve ever seen. While taking this photo, I couldn’t help but see a symbol. (Thank you, Ms. Cambron.) 😉

These past four years have been incredibly painful as we have labored in prayer to God for the good gift of children. The fruit of children seemed an eternally deferred hope. As Dominic once put it, we were lacking character, so God was gracious to bring about suffering to produce it within us. The Lord wanted our souls to bear fruit through a uniquely jagged, cold, painful experience: infertility. Even though we haven’t mastered Christ-likeness, God was kind to also bear fruit through the prayers of the saints. Our Levi and Sophia are the most beautiful children I’ve ever seen. And without the barbed wire of this tailor-made trial, we would have never known their beauty.