YouTube.com
Believe in fate, free will, or destiny, it seems that certain things happen at the perfect time for people. A seemingly inconsequential choice can turn in to a life changing chain of events. Taking chances, living life, it is all a roll of the dice and you never know when you are going to win the jackpot. Chuck and Kim Walker adopted a baby in 2003 from China, and because of a clock, their chain of events were unbelievable.
A Second Chance
omglane.com
When Chuck and Kim Walker heard about a baby that had been orphaned and left in a shoe-box in China, they knew it was time to finally adopt. Mackenzie Grace Walker joined the family quickly and saw a change in a life that had faced hardship already.
A Tragedy Led to Fate
omglane.com
After their marriage, Chuck and Kim had their first child, Brad, which brought a great deal of joy to their family. They wanted a second child, but the boy died at birth. Devout Christians, they had faith this was part of a plan and decided to adopt to bring a new life to their world.
One Isn’t Enough
omglane.com
The first adoption was in 2000, 16 years later, when they adopted a baby girl named Caitlyn. But something called to them to keep their hearts open, and that’s when they learned of the baby in China.
Leaning Into Grace
faithhit
The Walkers felt there was more that they needed to do. Speaking to CBN in 2015, Chuck said he felt :God had a plan for another daughter in our lives”. In Hunan, a baby girl was found in a paper-box/shoe-box outside of a train station. This may sound like a rare occurrence, but history and politics takes a role in the story.
Many Children Left Behind
tnp.today
At this time, a one-child policy in China forced families to make the tough decision to abandon their daughter in hopes of having a son as their first born. This allowed the child to carry the family name along. As horrible as it sounds, it had a lot to do with tradition and unfortunately left many Chinese daughters in orphanages.
To China and Back
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Chuck has stated that “God just said that’s where you gotta be.” That was enough for the couple of deep faith to head to China to meet this girl they had learned about. They left with 13 other families to adopt orphans, and fell in love with baby Kenzy at first sight. Two days later, they were headed back home to Texas.
A Simple Grandfather Clock
YouTube.com
Bringing baby Kenzy home was a joyful occasion, but something more was soon to occur that would change the course of their lives forever. And it all started in a very unassuming way. When we got home from China, we just walked in the door and we had a chime clock in our kitchen,” recalls Kim. “She heard the chime, and she walked up to it and looked at it and mimicked the sound exactly on pitch.”
A Talent Uncovered
faithhit.com
“Wherever we went, she would hum along with music,” says Kim. “It became obvious that it was just a part of who she was.” She also remembers McKenzie Grace Walker singing or humming at the grocery story and orchestrating concert programs with her friends. Over time her natural talents flourished and she told her parents she wanted to become a famous singer.
Embracing the Talent
omglane.com
The Walker family understood that there was more than talent pouring out of Kenzie, it was a gift. Singing was like air to Kenzie and it seemed that the logical next step was to start helping her hone in on her abilities, so music classes were arranged for her.
Singing for Life
faithhit.com
As Kenzie grew up, she continued to hone her talents and now says that she does not remember a time that she wasn’t singing. Eventually, more than just her family and friends would notice, but it would take a lucky break and hard work to become a famous singer as she had mentioned when she was little.
The National Anthem
YouTube.com
She was doing well enough that she was called up to open with the National Anthem a Houston Astros game. This lead to three years of singing the anthem that eventually lead to her discovery.
A Life Changing Meeting
southerngospelupdate.com
Mark Carman, a Grammy-nominated producer, heard her singing the anthem and offered her a recording contract. This led to a road that seemed destined from the start for the Walkers, with Kenzie becoming the face of their new mission.
The Debut
topsimages.com
After singing the contract in March of 2015, McKenzie recorded and released her first album, Smallest Gifts, under the name Kenzie. The dream of becoming a famous singing seemed to be coming true, but she soon realized that there was more to her gift than a life of fame.
This is Not a Dream
faithhit.com
Kenzie has stated that she still has to accept that this is her real life. She keeps thinking that it is a dream that she will wake up from, but she knows it is the real thing and she learned from her parents that there is more in the world than just her and her talents.
A Parent’s Dream Come True
“We’re just a normal family, and to watch all those children gather around her and want their picture made, and their smiling faces, and to watch McKenzie interacting with them, it’s just so much fun,” says Chuck Walker. “You can’t get any better than that as a parent observing that. McKenzie can go out and help children and help spread the love of Jesus throughout the world.”
Giving Back
omglane.com
The Walkers fully believe that Kenzie’s voice is a gift from God. Their faith has driven every decision in their life and it led them to this point. Kenzie uses that voice to spread the message of Christ.
Using More than Her Voice
CBN.com
Because of her fame and records, Kenzie has been able to give back in other ways as well. She has gone beyond music to make a difference in the lives of others. She has lead efforts to help orphaned children in China find a home in the same way in which she found her home. “I need to help them because God helped me, and through God, I can help them.”
Following God’s Plan
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Kenzie strongly believes that God has a plan for her and she uses that to help guide her in her pursuits. “One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11, ‘I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future,’ and that verse means so much to me because it’s actually happening to me. God is with you, and he has a plan for every single one of you.”
A Simple Act
YouTube
Kenzie understands that this was all due to one simple act from her parents. Without their intervention and adoption, she may not have ever had a chance to share her voice, love, and talents with the world.
Just Getting Started
The Holland Group, Inc.
Just a few years into her career, Kenzie has already made waves through her talent and selflessness. She is young, early in her career, and constantly looking for new ways to share the love of the world that she has. This is all part of God’s plan for her, as she has stated, and she will continue to push forward. Where she will end up is something to watch.