November is National Adoption Awareness month, a time set aside to celebrate the joy of adoption, and a time to raise awareness for the children that are waiting for a loving family.
The Lord put the calling to adopt on our hearts even before we were engaged or married. I can still distinctly remember our conversation; Colin and I were just dating at the time, but somehow the subject of family came up and we talked about Colin's heart condition and adopting a child. As I write this, I still get that 'what an amazing God we have' feeling. He put adoption on our hearts more than 11 years before we held Lilah in our arms. It truly amazes me. Adoption is an incredible journey, not without its share of ups and downs, fears and tears; but our faith and strength were renewed daily. The prayers and supplications of our family and friends carried us through many days, weeks, months and years.
James 5:16 - The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
There is nothing that brings more joy than seeing your child grow and learn. Watching our beautiful daughter develop and transition from a scared and confused 18 month old baby to a confident 2 year old toddler in a matter of months wasn't always easy, but a real joy and an answer to prayer, many prayers. We have been truly blessed, more than we could ever try to put into words. She is simply put, a gift from God.
Psalm 127:3 - Behold, children are a gift of the LORD
I read an interesting piece recently on gotquestions.org about 'What does the Bible say about adoption?' and this little blurb stuck with me: "Both those who adopt and those who are adopted are receiving a tremendous blessing, a privilege exemplified by our adoption into God’s family". How true is that, every believer has been adopted into the family of God. Our prayer is that Lilah will choose Christ as her own and personal Saviour.
Romans 8:15 - Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
We sometimes talk about a child being chosen, rather than adopted. One of the things that I realized recently is that Lilah didn't choose us and even though we really wanted a child, we didn't personally choose Lilah. It was our Heavenly Father chose us and her, and brought us together. Even before He formed us, He knew us, and praise God, He made us a family. We are absolutely delighted, His way is perfect.
Jeremiah 1:5 - Before I formed you in the womb I knew you
Absolutely, beautiful! I was telling a friend yesterday how frustrated I get with the "she is so blessed and lucky" comments that I always get, or the "you have done such a great thing, taking in an orphan" comments, that I never know what to say in reply! I don't think there is a reply, no one can understand the spirit of adoption unless they have experienced it and no one can understand what it is like when God leads you to something so powerful and amazing as adoption, unless they have also been led in that direction! God has put them into our families as our daughters, because that was where he knew they belonged since he created them. How blessed are we???
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!...such an AMAZING post!! And I'm so glad you mentioned that November is Adoption Awareness Month. Focus on the Family has a special on Sunday in celebration of it, featuring Steven Curtis Chapman. Beautiful scriptures and I love the message within them! God is good!! <><
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post honoring adoption! You are so right! I love following your blog! I receive such wonderful nuggets of inspiration! Isn't if amazing when God blesses us with much more than we deserve? I feel that way with each and every one of my children! God is so very amazing! Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kim
What a beautiful post. I, too, feel like we are the ones who are blessed, not so much the other way around, and that our daughter is the most amazing gift from God. I love the scriptures you included. It's amazing to think that God might feel the same way about his "adopted children" as we do about ours.
ReplyDeleteGin =)
This is beautiful. Another "wow" post. I love reading about how people arrived at the decision to adopt. God always behind it, even if they don't come out and say it. Great post. One that I will read over and over. Sending you hugs...Sarah
ReplyDeleteso sweet. I read your blog but I'm not sure I have ever commented . . . god is good and does choose. We have 4, 2 bio. 2 adopted. All 4 were chosen . . . blessings on your beautiful family!
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