What led us to Adoption….
Kevin and I have always discussed adoption as something that we would desire to do sometime in our future. I believe that we may have even talked about adoption on one of our “getting to know” you dates. Being a wife and a mother has always been the calling that I believe Christ has given me. In fact, on one of those “getting to know you” dates I actually told Kevin that I wanted to be a wife and a mother when he asked about what I wanted to do in life. I thought that I scared the living daylights out of that poor man. Instead, the statement that I thought scared him actually made him realize that he wanted to pursue me. Now here we are 7 ½ years later getting ready to embark on our next journey in life. Adopting a child!
Kevin and I have had the strongest desire to be parents for over 2 years now. This desire has caused us to pray much about what God's plan is for our family. We have always had such a deep desire to raise children to glorify and love the Lord. There have been some medical issues that have thus far prevented us from having biological children. We have certainly felt at a loss for what to do many times over the past couple years. Last November, Kevin and I discussed what our next step in life should be. Adoption kept coming up in our conversations. We teach our youth group students 3 questions to ask themselves when they are facing a decision. Those questions are, “Does this glorify God?, Does this make me look more like Jesus? And Does this help others see God’s truth?” We took our own advice and applied those same questions to our situation. No matter how we examined adoption we kept seeing that it continually lined up with God’s truth in scripture.
As Christians, we all have our own adoption story. It is a beautiful story of how our loving God adopted us as his children. We are all adopted by Christ Jesus. We were orphans destined for death but Jesus chose us to be his children and he placed us in His family. Ephesians 1:5 says, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Oh, the beauty of the Gospel. Praise the Lord for the kind intention of his will! We greatly desire to adopt a child into our home and life just as Christ has done for us. There are 143 million orphans in the world. Children who are designed and created in the image of God are left homeless and helpless. Kevin and I desire to make that number One Less! One less hurting. One less hungry. One less fatherless. One less unloved. God will make us a family forever by grace!
Kevin and Debbie I am so excited to see your blog and see how Christ has worked through you two. I am reminded of a story that has played over and over in my mind throughout my years, The Legend of the Starfish. Just in case you haven't heard it, here it is.
ReplyDeleteEveryday, an old man walked the beach with a pail, picking up starfish that had been washed in by the tide, and throwing them back into the sea.
One day a young boy stopped the old man and asked, “Why do you throw the starfish back? It doesn’t matter. They will only wash up on the shore again tomorrow.”
The old man picked up the starfish out of his pail and threw it as far as he could into the sea and replied, “It mattered to that one.”
I know that is a poor comparison to a child, but the point I'm making is some could say their are so many orphans that it really don't make a difference. But in truth "It mattered to that one!"
PS I kept on seeing a a reoccuring theme while reading your blog, Grace. I see you so desperately want people to see the grace Christ has given to you and upon this child in your journey thus far. So it hit me, and this is just a suggestion, and you will get many ;) but if you have a girl, Grace sounds like such a fitting name. Forever by.... Grace! In my prayers.
I stumbled upon your blog today after researching Congo on Pinterest. My husband and I are about 6 months into our adoption process and we, too are adopting from DRC! It is not by accident but, rather by divine providence that the Lord led me to your blog. Please count my family among your personal prayer warriors as you and your husband navigate this adventure!
ReplyDelete~ Shellie from Colorado
Thank you Shellie for posting such an encouraging comment! My heart is delighted to know that God's people are united even hundreds of miles away! We will also be praying for your little one in the Congo! Please let us know when you receive your referral!
ReplyDelete~Debbie