A short history lesson...

When was the last time you sang the song, "Jesus loves me, this I know"? Perhaps to your son or daughter? Or maybe you led a group of children in a rendition of the song during Sunday school? Maybe you were the one singing it while lead by a Sunday school teacher. The words are simple enough and the song has a simple tune even the youngest of children can learn. It is a traditional song that has been passed down from generation to generation and has been sung around the world in any number of languages. Do you know who originally wrote the song and why she wrote it? Like many children's songs sung without a second thought, "Jesus love me" also had a morbid beginning. The song was written by Anna Bartlett Warner in 1862 and included in a book which her and her sister wrote and published. The poem was spoken to a dying girl to comfort her on her death bed...

Jesus loves me—this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to him belong,—
They are weak, but he is strong.

Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I'm very weak and ill;
From his shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.

Jesus loves me—he will stay,
Close beside me all the way.
Then his little child will take,
Up to heaven for his dear sake.

Ok. You may be asking, "What does this have to do with adopting from Africa?" I'll get there in a minute. Later in the late 1800's a man by the name of William Batchelder Bradbury added the modern tune and the chorus "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me." Did you know that the Late President John F. Kennedy, while serving in the Navy overseas during WWII, was stranded on an island and when he and his men were rescued by Marines, they sang, "Jesus loves me". Millions of people around the world know the song and no doubt, it will be a song future generations will continue to sing. 

I say all this because today I learned not only where this simple children's song originated from but how even small, perhaps inconsequential (at the time) beginnings can have a lasting and meaningful impact on the world. 

Today, while driving around town and completing errands, my children were listening to their radio theater programs on CD and the story about "Jesus loves me" was one of the episodes. I didn't think anything of it until later when I realized that I had a connection with the meaning behind the story. It is my hope and prayer that this adoption from Ethiopia will reach the hearts of thousands. It is my prayer that the two little babies we adopt, as well as my own children of course, will be given a future and a story which will impact the lives of many while advancing the Kingdom of God. I want people to ask why we have two black babies in our family and when my children are older, I want them to know that their lives carry more of an impact on others than they know. Perhaps even an impact on the world. For now though, Dianna and I are being impacted by this process and we know it will be a story told to many people for many years. 

God bless,
Jordan
"Jesus loves me, this I know..."