Thoughts about adoption

I wanted to share with you some thoughts on adoption that my friend Lynette at http://varnells.blogspot.com/ wrote on her blog the other day. Lynette is a mother 12 children! I have been so inspired by what an amazing family she has. I love the way she expressed herself in this post. I agree wholeheartedly with her. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!

My heart is heavy for orphans today. I am so sad for the children who will never know the safety of a daddy’s arms or have their tears wiped by a mommy who cares. I look forward to heaven where we all will have a perfect Father and all are adopted. None will be orphans.Willie and I seem to have, “Tell me why adoption isn’t for you” stamped across our foreheads, because people often give us their reasons even though we haven’t asked. Maybe our family stirs their hearts toward orphans. I have my guesses why people often feel they have to give us their answers for not rising up and accepting the call to adopt, but that is my flesh and unprofitable. Adoption is inconvenient. We don’t want to be inconvenienced and we certainly don’t want our children to be inconvenienced. It is costly of time, money (in some cases more than others), and most expensive in the emotions department. Oh, if I could only express in words the joys of adoption! Our adoptions have brought me to my knees like nothing else I have ever experienced, but God has time and time again proven Himself so true to His character of faithfulness. Our seventh adoption, Elijah, should be finalizing in just a couple of months. The whole deal will most likely have taken two heart-wrenching years when it is all said and done. That is about average for our adoptions. Since Elisa (the 3rd adoption), I started saying, “We are never doing this again. It is just too hard.” By Isaac (the 6th adoption), I knew better. With Elijah (number 7 and counting), I couldn’t imagine persevering through another adoption. Those who are closest to me have heard my whining, complaining, and the anguish of my soul in some of our darkest valleys. I have had my faith shaken and have failed more tests than I would like to admit. By God’s grace, we may make it look easy, but it is not. Our adoptions have been some of the most demanding character training grounds we have ever endured. All that being said, in our adoptions we have received our greatest blessings. Of course the children are blessings. They are precious and bring us more joy than I could ever express, just like my biological kiddos. But I am not talking about the obvious blessings, but those which are not so apparent: God’s faithfulness in using our adoptions in the working out of our salvations. In saying “yes” to God’s children, He has poured lavishly His gifts into our family. It all has been more than worth it!We hope that God has more children out there for us. Today my heart breaks for the thousands and thousands of children that will go to bed tonight without a mommy and daddy that will love them forever “no matter what.” My flesh is frustrated with the American desire to live in luxury and pomp that seems to permeate all of us. We aren’t willing to be inconvenienced. I am exasperated with my own desire to live the easy life. I often struggle with the thoughts, “Things are so wonderful. We are so blessed. Why rock the boat?” However, by God’s grace on me, a sinner, He always keeps calling and beckoning my heart for orphans. I cannot be true to my God and look the other way. The task is daunting and seems insurmountable. It reminds me of the sand dollars and the sea story. We can’t save them all, but we can help this “one.” And to this "one" it makes all the difference by God’s grace.I rarely say anything about the call to adoption because I don’t want to sound ugly with pride. I know that only by God’s grace He has chosen to use our family. The only credit lies on Him. I don’t want to condemn, but encourage. But today I cannot keep silent. Children are waking up all over the world right now with no arms to run into. There are children who need to hear the gospel. There are children who need a hope and a future. Please understand my heart. I just want to encourage the few of you who may read this and have God nudging you gently (or strongly) to seriously pray and seek God about His will for adoption in your family. Adoption is hard. It isn’t easy, but the rewards are out of this world!