Behind The Designs
Each of our t-shirts has a unique story behind it related to our adoption. We thought we'd share a little about each design with you.
"Love Knows No Borders" Silhouette Design
The silhouette design was created based on a description of a recurring dream that I (Lauren) have had of our sweet daughter.
God first placed adoption on my heart when I was just a teenager. It all started with a dream. For several nights in a row when I was about 17 years old, I had the same dream (a dream that I still have from time to time). In the dream, I'm playfully chasing after this little girl in a field. She couldn't be more than 2 or 3 years old with beautiful hair - hair as black as night - in pigtails. She is giggling and I only get a quick glimpse of her sweet face before the dream ends. All I know is that in this dream the little girl, clearly from China, is my daughter.
"Wreck The Roof" Design
As we began to pray about our adoption, our daughter, and how in the world we'd be able to make everything happen (from the cost, to the travel, to the support once we arrive home), God kept taking us back to the passage in Luke 5:17-26:
On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring hm in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who Can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he said to the man who was paralyzed - "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home." And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today."
In this passage (bold part), the paralyzed man's friends literally "wrecked the roof" - as our pastor from Traders Point Christian Church, Aaron Brockett, says in reference to this passage - to get him to Jesus. They had faith that he could be healed if only they had a way in. We don't know exactly how god will provide a means for us to get our daughter home, but we know that with your help and His power, we can "wreck the roof" of our own home and bring our daughter home - both to our family and to God's family!
"Strength, Dignity, & Coffee" Design
I (Lauren) have always loved the Proverbs 31 passage, "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." I believe that this shirt embodies the modern day Proverbs 31 woman...with much needed coffee! My incredibly talented friend, Crystal, hand-lettered the design. Isn't it incredible?!?!