PREFACE

OMINOUS CLOUDS BLOCKED all light from the moon. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder boomed almost instantly—another Texas thunderstorm. The black night darkened when flickering street lights went out. The wipers swished back and forth furiously while horizontal rain pounded the windshield of our ’89 Pontiac Parisienne. The howling winds drowned out the radio, as our car inched on down the winding road. Suddenly, something appeared in the road ahead of us. The car screeched to a halt when my husband slammed on the brakes. I noticed in the glow of the headlights a little girl drenched by the downpour. Jumping out of the car, I quickly approached the girl saying, “Hi Sweetie, where is your mommy?”
“Mommy’s gone . . .” she whimpered, tears mingling with the falling rain.
My heart raced. I tried to figure out what was happening. Had there been an accident? Broken glass littered the road but no car. Who is this girl? Where are her parents? Why is she standing out here in the rain? I wrapped my arms around her trying to comfort her. A fierce need to love, protect and care for this child overwhelmed me. Where am I? When will this torrential rain storm cease? What do I do?
“Take this child. Take care of her. She is for you. I place the lonely in families,” a deep voice responded.
Suddenly I woke up in our bed breathing fast, heart still pounding, while my husband James slept quietly beside me. Was it only a dream? It was so vivid, so real! I recognized the words spoken by the deep voice, God’s voice. I could not get back to sleep because of a strong feeling that a little girl somewhere needed me. I tiptoed down the hall to check on our three sons, aged two, four and six, who slept peacefully in a nearby room. I kissed each one gently on his forehead and quietly returned to my room. Sliding back into bed, I wondered, “Do I dare tell my husband that I think perhaps we need to adopt a little girl when we have three sons who need our love, support, attention and time?” Nah! It was only a dream.
Yet this dream would shake up our world. This dream would take me from being contented with family life, church, worldview and relationships to breathtaking heights and deep, painful valleys. Does God still speak through dreams? Would I have faith for the journey ahead, no matter how long or difficult the path, or would I be dashed to pieces on the jagged rocks of the canyon?