learning to play and get along with her (6 month) older sister. And my oh my, how God has shown us so much during these times. He's taught us patience, to lean on Him WHOLLY...He's shown us that when we pray He hears....specifically, one night "A" woke up and was screaming...Christa went in and rubbed her, assuring her everything
was ok..she fell asleep for about 2 seconds and woke up as Christa left. She screamed for 45 mins...I finally said "let's pray"..we prayed the Lord would calm her heart and show her it was "ok" to be at "peace." The second...the VERY second I said "Amen" she immediately stopped crying in her room and we never heard her again that night....miraculous...awesome....a God who hears our prayers.
The Lord gave me a picture of our wretched nature without Him. While I was taking a walk in Ethiopia (with "A" on my back in a baby carrier) the Lord vividly spoke to my heart about how we, as His children are like earthly adopted "A." He welcomes us with open arms..and we come..and things are "honeymoon-esque" at first...but soon we
start kicking and screaming for our "rights" for our "entitlements" for what "WE" want....and we fight and scream to go back to what we "knew"...the world and it's empty ways. When all along He has ADOPTED us into His family and knows it is what is the best for us. And how He still loves us.....long suffering He loves us.
In that time, and in my lack of love at the time for "A"...I started crying...Man, how could I not also show the same love to "A"..and be patient with her, and hold her, and lovingly guide her and train her and SHOW her that "our ways" (adopting her) was the best.......I was humbled, my eyes were opened, as the Lord gave me a picture of my life in Him. He also reminded us, in our despair that
HE called us to adopt 'A'. Not just the SPECIFIC call to ALL Christians to "care for orphans and widows" in James 4...but He proved Himself over and over during our adoption process. Therefore, everytime we got stressed or depressed or questioned what we did..we just looked to the Lord and said "You called us to this...You will be faithful."...and OH WHAT PEACE!! What freedom it is to rest in the Lord.
Another time, when we were flying back, I was holding "A" at the back of the plane, near the kitchen area, and I began to let the thought of "adopting again" cross my mind...and just as fast you could say "zippity doo dah" I "vetoed" that thought and idea and said to myself.."there is NO way..this is TOO hard..we have done what we were supposed to..we are done!!!!"....and Oh WOW..how the Lord whacked me upside my selfish and self-centered head....(but so lovingly)...He said to me "stephen..this adoption has NOTHING to do with you..it has everything to do with Me...
with what I called you all too...and with this dear orphaned child who now has a mommy and daddy. Yes it's a difficult time, but so what, it has NOTHING to do with you. Life is difficult, it's not about creating this world of plushness, success and smooth sailing...it's a life of serving the Lord and seeing the indescribable and incomprehensible worth of following God. It has, as this adoption process has become, shown us what utter RUBBISH and waste the things of this world are, at how I can truly consider and say "all is trash and rubbish compared to serving and following the Lord." It's how I can say, after the heartache of this whole process, "Lord willing we will be able to adopt a couple more times in our life."
On a final note for this ridiculously long anecdote...we as the Church have failed in our great commission and "religious duty" in caring for orphans and widows. Estimates now, put the number of orphans in the world at around 150million...and 750K in the foster care system in the U.S. So not only have we grossly fallen short of obeying the Lord in caring for orphans, but we have "offshored" that responsibility to the government! We cry out "NO TO ABORTION"...and on the same token say "No thanks" to adopting or fostering a child. We scream out "STOP STEM CELL RESEARCH AND EMBRYO DESTRUCTION" and at the same time we say "STOP" at 2.7 children.
I'm saying that we have royally missed the mark, our view of life is one of "electing the right senator" and "going to a pro-life rally." While these things are right and good; the proverbial "actions speak louder than words" comes to mind. But the idea of adoption is not merely a good and charitable idea..and it is NOT for the Brangelina's and Madonna's of this world..it is for the Church. Now I FULLY understand and 100% agree that not all are called to adopt...but I can say this, a LOT more are called to adopt than have actually stepped up to the plate, from the Church, to adopt. We have been showered with support and encouragement from our church and friends and family in this process...but we won't rest. God has shown us His heart in this adoption, how our adoption of "A" is a replica of our Salvation and adoption into His family as his Sons and daughters. It has made the words of James 4, and our call to 'true religion' clear.....and it has made the cries of the orphans, around the world, echo with deafening tones, and we can't stand idlely by. The Lord has commissioned us to care for them....let's be faithful to what He has called us to and in so doing, you will be blessed beyond what you could have imagined....because we serve an awesome God..a faithful God..a God who, while we were still sinners and orphans and kicking and screaming...adopted us into His family, and loves us with an unrelenting love.
To God be the Glory..........Forever.
Stephen, this is awesome! It's so amazing how God opens our eyes on this journey, and we get to see His heart and realize it's not about us at all. I agree with what you said about there being more people called to adopt than actually step up and do it. I firmly believe that if you even have a slight feeling you should adopt, God will provide everything you need; He did it for us, and I know He will do it again. If we're obedient to His call, of course He will be faithful to see it through.
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