365 Project Day 313: For the Love of Sam

Canon 5D Mark ll, 70-200 2.8L,  120mm focal length, 3.5 aperture,  1/160 shutter, 400 ISO

This Chinese baby boy will melt your heart. His name is Sam, or Samuel, which means “God has heard”.  Erin and Andy let his name resonate to the bottom of their spirits every time they call him or hear it spoken. God did hear their cry for a child to love. They found him after much prayer and longing through Lifeline Children’s Services, a Christian adoption agency committed to placing children who need homes with loving families. Andy and Erin are that and so much more. They cannot take their eyes or hearts away from their treasure, their Samuel. They know that God has heard not only their cries, but the cries of a baby boy who needed a family of his own.

This is a treasured, happy little boy. He is deeply loved and cherished by his parents. You can hear it in his laughter. And beautiful, so beautiful, this boy. How could they not love him? His eyes sparkle when his daddy throws him in the air or when his mommy sneaks kisses from his cherubic skin.  He is adored, grafted into a new heritage, a home woven and washed in the love of Christ. Sam is a blessed boy.

Isn’t this our story too? It is the Great Story. The one that runs through every amazing story we have ever heard. A great and noble King risks everything and fights a wicked nemesis to rescue those He loves. We are taken in, rescued from death, and given a new name. It is the stuff fairy-tales are made of. Rescued from hopelessness, we become the sons and daughters of a great King. We are brought in, given the finest robes, and a feast is set before us. We are honored, treasured, fought-for, loved. We are given a new bloodline, a royal heritage, and an eternal home that no one can take away from us.

Sam’s story is our story and it is beautiful.

Blessings to you, happy happy boy. You are esteemed and loved and we are glad.

Galations 4:6-7 ~”But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.”