Adoption

Today a good friend celebrates her Gotcha Day with her now four year old son. Two weeks ago an old friend brought home a precious baby girl into their family. A month ago friends learned that the foster son they have only had a few months is now able to be adopted by them. This time last year, my former youth pastor and his wife welcomed a darling lil gal into their home. And in two years, a new friend will, Lord willingly, bring home a precious Haitian little girl.

Waiting 9 months for our amazing son growing in my womb cannot quite compare to the excitement we felt as we waited an excruciating 90 minutes for our little girl to come to our doorstep July 6th, 2010. Adoption and foster care is really becoming a movement in the Christian community (and rightfully so). Perhaps I just have an adoption radar now, but I love hearing so many believers welcoming strangers into their home to call their heir.

Christ did the same for us. Romans 8:15-17 says

"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering."

Essentially Paul is referring to new life God has given us after saving us from one of sin, but the fact that God adopts us and we can call him "Abba, Father", Daddy, is one I am soooo grateful for!

Whether you are unable to have children, or your home is busting at the seems, I invite you to consider if God may be calling you to fostering or adoption. My family and I sat around chatting this weekend talking about how different my little girl is now that she is out of the lifestyle she started in. When I think about the conditions she was living in, I'm literally sick to my stomach. I cannot even imagine where she would be 12 years from now if she had stayed there. Most likely pregnant and addicted to drugs and alcohol like her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I may not be a perfect mom, but I am so thankful that the Lord chose our family to place this little girl in. I love her to the moon and back.