A sign - Part 3

**While Part 3 is the end of what I set out to do, it is certainly not the end of allowing God to move**

When we hear the phrase "to use someone," we often view it in a negative light. None of us enjoy being "used" by someone else for their gain. It makes us out to be little more than the means to an end. A tool. An advantage to be used and discarded later when no longer needed.

I want to be "used" by God. I want to be a part of His plan that is much larger than myself.

My hope is to encourage you. My hope is to show you that if He can use me, He can use anyone.

All you have to do is listen and follow.…..even when the path makes no logical sense to us.

This past Tuesday, Kayla and I had the amazing opportunity to see Phillip’s little sibling via ultrasound. Viewing the small, forming face and witnessing this small creation of God “run” around Kayla’s tummy is a miracle in itself. (Unlike with Phillip, we are not finding out the gender until he/she gets here. Who doesn’t love a good surprise?!)

While God’s hand was certainly evident in being able to see the newest member of our family, that is not why I was so eager to find time to sit down and write.

Two months ago, Kayla and I went to the doctor. This “woman” doctor delivered Phillip and we have been able to build a great relationship with her. She is an amazing doctor and an even better person. This particular day, she walked into the exam room with an exasperated look on her face. She said, “Oh, how I am glad to see y’all. Sometimes, I just don’t have any hope for the world. The people I deal with on a daily basis can do me in. It’s always nice to see y’all because you are always in a good mood.” It was evident she was having a stressful day. After checking on Kayla and asking all the normal questions, we had an opportunity to visit with her. She had a smile on her face as we left the office. I chalked it up as a successful encounter of brightening someone’s day.

We drove back home and enjoyed the calm car ride and uninterrupted conversation that anyone with an 18-month-old boy at home can surely appreciate. I can’t exactly remember if it was that day or the next morning, but all the sudden I had it in my mind that I needed to take a book to this doctor on our next visit. Not just any book, but one book in particular. Without a shadow of a doubt, “The Grace Effect” by Larry Taunton was the book. I do remember stopping what I was doing and taking the book out to my car so that I wouldn’t forget it.

“The Grace Effect” initially caught my eye because it contains the story of a family navigating the arduous process of adopting a daughter from Ukraine. From my three trips to Ukraine, I have fallen in love with the country. I also know the dismal statistics regarding Ukrainian orphans. Larry Taunton does a great job of relating a conversation with world-renowned atheist and friend Christopher Hitchens regarding a “god-less” society to his family's experience of bringing their daughter home. I highly recommend any and everyone to take the time to read it.

"I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" - Isaiah (6:8)

I drive around with the book in my car for a month. Kayla’s next appointment is a few days away and we find out that she will be seeing a different doctor, but her regular doctor will be back next visit. This means riding around with the book in my car for another month.

A couple of weeks ago, I did take the book out of my car so that I could fit all of our “stuff” for the Orrville Tractor Show (add that to your list, Lex!). This past Tuesday rolls around and here we are going back to the doctor for our next routine check-up. I spot the book on the counter and purposely place it next to something I was planning on taking in the car with me. CoCo (aka Mom) graciously came to pick Phillip up so we could make our appointment. While I was helping CoCo strap our ever-energetic toddler into his car seat, Kayla locked up the house and was ready to go.

Oh I don’t think so! I have been waiting two months to deliver this book to this very person! I quickly went back inside, retrieved the book, and we began the hour and fifteen minute drive to the doctor’s office.

First, we had the blessing of the ultrasound. We were both looking forward to that, but I was almost looking forward to visiting with the doctor just as much. After looking at Kayla’s charts, asking questions, and telling us everything looked great, she proceeded to tell us where she was last month. She was on maternity leave. She was on maternity leave because she and her husband were adopting a baby girl.

After visiting, she asked if we have any questions as she prepared to leave the room. I pulled the book out of Kayla’s purse and told her there was one thing I wanted to tell her. I told her about the day she seemed to be having a bad day and how I had been driving the book around for the past two months. I summarized the book and shared how it dealt with God’s love and adoption.

She immediately opened the book and started scanning over the first few pages. With eyes fixed on the worn pages of a book I’ve read multiple times, she says, “Did you know..you didn’t know we were adopting. How...”

As her voice trailed off, the light bulb went off. God is faithful and He will equip those who are willing to follow Him.

We spoke for a few more minutes. I wish that I could accurately describe her reaction in both facial expressions and voice inflections. It was a beautiful moment in the midst of a busy day for all three of us.

She thanked me for picking that book and carrying it around for two months.

I did not pick the book. I only delivered it.