Mercy

According to dictionary.com, MERCY means compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, but for Jason and Virginia Dunn, Mercy is the name  of their (soon to be) sweet baby girl.

Jason Dunn is the owner of Facedown Records, a record label that is attached to many hardcore and bands very passionate about seeing that people see the Kingdom of God. My dad has been super involved and has been friends with Jason for awhile, since he have been doing shows at the Stronghold. Jason and his wife Virginia are the kind of people that EVERYONE wants to know and hang out with. Their very presence radiates the love and joy of Jesus. 

Tonight was "Facedown Fiesta", it being the Thursday before Facedown Fest (a two night event where many of the Facedown bands come together and play music!) this tonight was a time for just the band members to fellowship, worship, pray, and each together! It was truly incredible. I was excited because I finally got to talk with Virginia about her December Uganda trip and the anticipation of her new daughter in June (fingers crossed). 

As I sat across the table with Virginia and she began to share with me about the first moments she met Mercy, and how she immediately fell in love with her and I could SEE in her eyes how much she already loves this little girl, I was ecstatic. I was thrilled for her and for Jason. I mean we all know that I have fallen deeply in love with Masii and all the children and people that live there, but as I talked with Virginia, this was different. As she spoke of words with both excitement and nervousness I could also hear a blanket of peace over everything she shared. She talks about the first time her nad Jason met Mercy and how they both just knew! And how that they prayed about her and how they PICKED her. She shared about how Mercy is 5, and she lives in Uganda at an orphanage and Mercy was taken there by her mother who is very sick with AIDS. Mercy is SO very small but has the biggest eyes,Virginia shared with me how buying clothes in anticipation for her is a bit hard because if how small she is but so exciting, as she shared with me about all the miles of paperwork that were filled out and how it is usually done in 5 months but they finished in 5 weeks!!! I begin to share with Virginia the kids in my life who have been adopted into their family and how that has taught me so much about our adoption into the family of God, she shares with me about how through this process of getting their daughter that she also has learned so much.

After this short time of sharing, we all began to worship together as one body as Aaron from My Epic began to lead us in beautiful worship to our Glorious God. I couldn't help but feel completely overwhelmed, we serve a God who is the MOST beautiful, MOST powerful, MOST loving, and MOST present GOD to ever be. Yet somehow through it all, Jesus PICKS us! 

I love to picture of adoption that God has given us and even more personally the one He has given me through the people around me. I am grateful for the beautiful children He has placed in my arms whom exemplify His mercy. As I think about this BEAUTIFUL picture that adoption paints even simply through Jason and Virginia, I am overwhelmed at this thought that just like they PICKED Mercy, Jesus PICKED me!

It's incredible to see how just recently Jesus has brought INCREDIBLE people into my life who have painted this breathtaking picture of being adopted and how that piece fits perfectly into the family of God. 

Jesus came and died and rose to prove His love, He carried the weight of our sin and through that we have seen His MERCY. Jesus is our ABBA, our Father, and He picked us to do mighty things for His Kingdom. 

Pray for Jason and Virginia as they prepare to step into this new role, that they may take this time to fast and pray and ready their hearts to receive Mercy, and pray for Mercy as she steps into her new life and takes comfort that her parents CHOSE her and LOVE her so much already.