Adoption Story

 Adopt:  To take into one's family through legal means and raise as one's own child.

 My husband Jim and I have been married for nearly 8 years.  Five years ago we lost our first child through miscarriage, and subsequently lost 3 more children that way.  At first, I was devastated   I simply felt I could not go on with my life without my “babies”.  The day I hit rock bottom is the day Jesus lifted me up.  HE so gently wiped my tears and reminded me that HE had been with me all along.  HE told me that my babies were safe and that they were special because they knew no sin, no hate, no war, nothing evil, but they knew pure love.  I was reminded of a song I had heard years ago called "Jesus has a rocking chair."  What better care giver for my children then Jesus himself. HE reminded me that someday I would see them again, but it wasn’t my time and not in the manner I was thinking.  HE then told me HE had a plan for me.  Imagine that…me at my weakest and in my utmost despair, finding out there was a plan for me.  It took a few more years to develop this plan, but all the while, HE was molding and creating something new and wonderful in our lives.

 Jim and I adopted a son this year.  He came to live with us last Thanksgiving as a scared 9 year old boy.  He had been in the foster care system for several years and knew loss, pain, and rejection.  But through it all, Josh survived.  He is an awesome child with so much potential.  He has come to love the Lord and tries his best to make God happy.  A surrealistic twist to this is that Josh looks like a natural born son to Jim and me.  Those that don’t know of the adoption tell us constantly how much our son looks like us.  When they find out he was just recently adopted, their jaws drop in amazement.  To watch him grow and change and mature has been so awesome.

 Jim and I are in prayer and considering accepting a sibling group of 4 to bring into our home for adoption.  In just a few short days, we will make the decision as to whether we want to proceed or not.  I sit here overwhelmed at the thought of last year having no children, to this year possibly having 5!

 How like God, though…HE has given me the possibility to have my four babies, plus an extra bonus.  HE took us through sorrow, pain, loss and suffering to understand what these children have gone through by loosing their “birth” families.

 As I sat this morning praying and thinking of the decision Jim and I need to make, I realized how similar our Christian lives are to our “worldly” lives.

 Jim and I were made in God’s image through Adam.  So, we resemble God in that way.  I will lay down my life for my child.  Josh has come to mean the world to me and I would fight tooth and nail for him.  Jesus did that for us when he voluntarily stepped up to the cross.  The day we reached out for Jesus, we were accepted into the family of God through an adoption process.  While I have a “birth” father and he will always be my dad, I now have a heavenly father who will not let me fail, will be there no matter what, and will love me no matter what.  HE will correct me when I am wrong, and hold me when I am scared.  HE will be there no matter what.  HE molds us and creates us and shapes our lives.  This is exactly what we are doing for Josh at this time.

 Oh how I long to be the kind of parent God is to us.

 Written Oct 2003

 An update to our story….April 2005

 Josh celebrates his two year anniversary as our ‘legal’ son this month.  He still continues to grow and reach towards God and still struggles with his past abuse.  However, he is slowly learning to lean on God.  He has such a heart for our Lord.

 You know those 4 children we were ‘considering’ adopting?  They became our children in June of 2004.  Again, people are amazed at our God ordained family.  Our children look so much like Jim and me that when told, people can’t believe we adopted all 5 children.

 God has given us such an incredible journey through the last few years.  I have learned so much about becoming more of the woman God wants me to be.  Jim and I have learned that we can’t do anything without God leading the way, preparing the battlefield, and fighting our battles.

 While there are daily struggles with our children, 4 of them have come to accept Jesus as their savior and try to lead a life to be proud of.  I see their inner struggle and their inner turmoil but I also know that with God all things are possible and their lives will be so much the richer for accepting HIM into their lives.