Derek Loux was a worship leader at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. He also helped pioneer the Forerunner Music Academy. Derek and his wife, Renee, gave birth to a little boy named Josiah who was born with spina bifida in 1994. Josiah only lived for 2 1/2 years and his parents loved every moment they had with him and were filled with grief when he went to be with the Lord. This in itself moves my heart to tears, knowing that these incredible people gave birth to a child with severe handicap and yet valued the life of this child as if he were completely healthy and loved him with a deep love. This is a rare thing in a world that is screaming at us to snuff out the life that is handicapped, treating it as if it had no right to life because it might be inconvenient for him/her OR for the ones raising that life.
After Josiah passed away Derek and Renee had 2 little girls and years later decided to adopt 3 girls from the Marshall Islands. One of them having a severe spinal curve in her back that was rendered incurable but by the handiwork of the Lord was cured - and with an incredible story to go along with it. During the process of adopting these girls the Lord began to move on their hearts for the orphan, and not just those who were fatherless and motherless - but those who were handicap and had even less of a chance of being adopted. They began the Josiah fund - you can read more about this incredible vision on their website, click here to read more.
Since adopting the three girls from the Marshall Islands, they have adopted one more girl from the Marshall Islands and 3 boys from the Ukraine. Two of the boys have down syndrome and the other has spina bifida. The stories of these boys are heart wrenching and miraculous.
After adopting the 3 boys, this brought the total of their kids up to 10. And if you read their story, which I highly recommend you do, you'll see that they are wanting to adopt 30 needy and neglected children, not limited by location, and bring them to Kansas City to a rehabilitation home so to speak - to be cared for and loved.
Now that Derek has gone home to be with the Lord it has left Renee as a widow caring for the orphan.
I don't know about you, but this stirs my heart in a major way. I want to help her. I'm encouraging those of you who can and who feel moved by this story and this vision to give to Renee Loux and her vision to help see this come to pass. Jesus expected us, commanded us, to look after the widow and the orphan and here we have a great opportunity to do both.
When Derek and Renee set out on this journey, neither of them were expecting that Renee would have to continue carrying it out without him. I know that Renee's heart and vision haven't changed - but I know that she feels the pain of losing her greatest advocate and partner and love. I can't even imagine - she had already climbed up the ladder of incredible women I admire and respect because of these children that she was pouring her life into and the sacrifices that she was making and the message that her life was proclaiming to the masses - "EVERY life is VALUABLE, HAS WORTH, DESERVES A CHANCE TO LIVE AND BE LOVED." - but now - my goodness - she is my hero. God uphold her, give her strength and let her feel Your nearness, Your presence surrounding her and protecting her. Strengthen her with Your everlasting love and kindness. Give her peace and give her comfort.
I feel burdened to stand with her, fight for her and all the thousands of children that I believe will be impacted by this ripple in the water that will go far beyond the 30 children that she will adopt. Therefore I felt burdened to share this story with all that I can.
May the Lord bless this incredible family and meet them in their time of grief and need. Thank you Jesus for setting the lonely in families and for setting the Loux family in Kansas City where they have family that will love and care for them in their time of grief. Do something miraculous out of their suffering. Turn the eyes of a generation that is standing for death to this incredible light shining in the darkness and let them choose LIFE instead of death.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
The Loux Family
For more information on how to give financially you can go to their personal blog site here.
Or you can go to their Josiah Fund website here.
