OUR PLANS MULTIPLIED

In the beginning, JD adamantly only wanted two children. I thought that four would be perfect. Once we caught God's vision of putting orphans into families, our plan was multiplied by God. We are currently blessed with 12 children; five biological, six adopted and one more waiting in Ethiopia. Our first adoption was from the U.S., the next three were from Liberia, West Africa, and our last two were from Ethiopia. We are supporting our 12th child in Ethiopia after her adoption could not pass court.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Truth Is Still Truth

JD and I are preparing to share on adoption at a friend's church tomorrow night. Several times I've thought how it's such a bad time for me to be encouraging to others that are considering embarking on this journey, just because I'm facing such challenges at this point. To be honest, only some of my challenges are adoption related, but adoption involves parenting and I'm finding parenting to be a big challenge at this moment. Of course, this is all just emotion and I firmly believe that adoption is a calling that doesn't sway based on emotion. (Knowing something and engaging that knowledge are two different things however!)

We all know plenty of divorced people, but does anyone ever feel the need to warn newly engaged couples that they may not want to advance due to the threat of divorce? We certainly all also know some biological children that have caused their parents serious grief. Do we ever warn young couples that they should consider not having children due to the possibility that they may turn out to be criminals? Somehow, while the previous examples seem ridiculous, many people feel the need to share every adoptive failure story that they've seen and heard over the years with anyone who is considering adopting. I assure you, the majority of adoptive parents are more than aware of the risks involved, but choose to advance in spite of their fear, because it's a direct calling in Scripture to care for the widows and orphans. There are many, many people that willingly adopt children that they know will bring more sorrow than joy. This is a hard reality for me, but brings me right back around to the truth I know of adoption versus the emotion I'm dealing with now.

I know some people have seriously questioned our desire to adopt again. (I'm not judging them, since I'm one of them!) I know we have our hands full. I also know that I know that I know that we have a child out there that is supposed to be in our home. It really comes down to the truth of God's Word and being willing to step out in faith.

(picture taken by Moriah)

6 comments:

  1. Amen! I have had these same thoughts many times- thanks for putting those feelings into words!

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  2. Thank you for sharing this ... beautifully said.

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  3. Wow!I have had the exact same feelings and thoughts! My daughter was adopted out of foster care and she is a real handful. There are days that I am so scared for her but then there are days that I can see all the potential she has. We have thought of adopting again and people have said the same things. Yes, my hands are full but my heart has room for more! :)

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  4. You are not alone. And people questioned that we adopted again from Haiti when we had so much trouble with our first one from Haiti. Round two this week too and being honest on my blog has cost me some internet friends (but I'd rather have ones that understand anyway).

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  5. You know, people tell horror stories to birth mothers too. You know, the labor went on for a whole week, etc., etc.,

    I guess however you get children people feel a need to discourage.

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