I'm sure several of you are wondering why in the world we are adopting a baby and why we are adopting a baby from Ethiopia.
Since I am a very forthcoming person I would be happy to share our little story with the blog world. I also want to document this so that when, God willing, we have our little one, we can look back at the journey.
So here we go, bear with me.
It all started in the summer of 2003 when I went on a mission trip to Uganda with my church youth group. At this point in my life I thought I was walking with the Lord, however my faith and relationship with God was less than ideal. It involved a lot of me asking God for things when I needed them and half heatedly hoping that maybe he heard me. I did not walk with God on a daily basis. All this to give you just a small picture of my small faith at that point in my life. However, I will NEVER forget the day when God told me I would be adopting a baby. We were on a safari after spending some time in a small village with lots of children a few days earlier and I heard God say to me (not audibly-but in my heart) that I would be returning to Africa one day to adopt a baby. Looking back, I am so thankful that God forced his way through my rebellious, stubborn 18 year old self to reveal one of his plans for me. Years went by and many life seasons, and spiritual highs and lows came and went. However, one thing never changed and that was that I was destined for adoption, and knew that Jesus gave me a tiny piece of his heart when it came to caring for those in less than ideal circumstances.
Fast forward 5"ish" years and I was now a year into marriage, with a hubby that is one of the most kind and compassionate people I have ever met in my life. I casually mention adoption and he isn't so sure. I decided that if God wanted us to adopt a baby, he would place it on both of our hearts so I silenced my mouth for the next two years or so and prayed. Sure enough, with no prompting by me, Lance told me that he thought adoption was a good fit for our family and that he would love to begin praying about whether or not we should adopt first or have biological children. However, no real answer was heard. We decided that we should have biological babies first and then adopt later. After a couple years of no babies, one surgery, and 2 different doctors giving me a perfect bill of health we decided that our infertility was not "infertility" at all. Around that time I began having dreams and hearing verses in my mind that I did not even know existed. Odd I know but it really began happening to me. I would find myself singing a verse I had never even heard before in the shower and 9 times out of 10 it had something to do with adoption! After lots and lots of prayer, tears, questioning, and just an overall desire to live out God's will for our life, we decided adoption it is!!
It is crazy how God's word is filled with adoption. He adopted us when we did not deserve it. He loved us unconditionally when we were unlovable and he accepted us when we were unacceptable. Jesus sought out the lonely, broken and different and calls us to do the same. What God has been telling me over and over the past couple of weeks is that our time on earth is short. Really, really short. It is our job to do the best that we can and show as much love as we can for the short time that God has allowed us to be here. This is the most important thing in life. We are here to show the love of Christ to others and bring him glory and honor through our lives. This we need to focus on first and make our main job. The rest will fall into place. :)
So there is the story of how we came to adoption. This is much, much longer than I anticipated so I will post on "Why Ethiopia" tomorrow.
Here are today's prayer requests:
1. Please pray for our babies first months of development if she has been conceived and for the health of her mother. Please pray specifically that her parents (specifically her mother) are praying for her and somehow come to know Jesus is they don't yet. Many Ethiopian orphans are orphaned due to death of their parents. I want our child to be reunited with her biological family one day in heaven! :)
2. Please pray for our initial paperwork and application fees. We know God will not let something like money get in the way of adoption, but it is a looming cloud right now.
3. Please pray for Lance & I to stay organized and on top of things. We also just closed on our house and are spending lots of hours working on that!
4. Please pray that the Ethiopian courts stay open. They close for the months of Sept & Oct and no one ever knows what will happen with adoption when they re-open.
Ok that's all for now.
Thanks for checkin in......
Since I am a very forthcoming person I would be happy to share our little story with the blog world. I also want to document this so that when, God willing, we have our little one, we can look back at the journey.
So here we go, bear with me.
It all started in the summer of 2003 when I went on a mission trip to Uganda with my church youth group. At this point in my life I thought I was walking with the Lord, however my faith and relationship with God was less than ideal. It involved a lot of me asking God for things when I needed them and half heatedly hoping that maybe he heard me. I did not walk with God on a daily basis. All this to give you just a small picture of my small faith at that point in my life. However, I will NEVER forget the day when God told me I would be adopting a baby. We were on a safari after spending some time in a small village with lots of children a few days earlier and I heard God say to me (not audibly-but in my heart) that I would be returning to Africa one day to adopt a baby. Looking back, I am so thankful that God forced his way through my rebellious, stubborn 18 year old self to reveal one of his plans for me. Years went by and many life seasons, and spiritual highs and lows came and went. However, one thing never changed and that was that I was destined for adoption, and knew that Jesus gave me a tiny piece of his heart when it came to caring for those in less than ideal circumstances.
Fast forward 5"ish" years and I was now a year into marriage, with a hubby that is one of the most kind and compassionate people I have ever met in my life. I casually mention adoption and he isn't so sure. I decided that if God wanted us to adopt a baby, he would place it on both of our hearts so I silenced my mouth for the next two years or so and prayed. Sure enough, with no prompting by me, Lance told me that he thought adoption was a good fit for our family and that he would love to begin praying about whether or not we should adopt first or have biological children. However, no real answer was heard. We decided that we should have biological babies first and then adopt later. After a couple years of no babies, one surgery, and 2 different doctors giving me a perfect bill of health we decided that our infertility was not "infertility" at all. Around that time I began having dreams and hearing verses in my mind that I did not even know existed. Odd I know but it really began happening to me. I would find myself singing a verse I had never even heard before in the shower and 9 times out of 10 it had something to do with adoption! After lots and lots of prayer, tears, questioning, and just an overall desire to live out God's will for our life, we decided adoption it is!!
It is crazy how God's word is filled with adoption. He adopted us when we did not deserve it. He loved us unconditionally when we were unlovable and he accepted us when we were unacceptable. Jesus sought out the lonely, broken and different and calls us to do the same. What God has been telling me over and over the past couple of weeks is that our time on earth is short. Really, really short. It is our job to do the best that we can and show as much love as we can for the short time that God has allowed us to be here. This is the most important thing in life. We are here to show the love of Christ to others and bring him glory and honor through our lives. This we need to focus on first and make our main job. The rest will fall into place. :)
So there is the story of how we came to adoption. This is much, much longer than I anticipated so I will post on "Why Ethiopia" tomorrow.
Here are today's prayer requests:
1. Please pray for our babies first months of development if she has been conceived and for the health of her mother. Please pray specifically that her parents (specifically her mother) are praying for her and somehow come to know Jesus is they don't yet. Many Ethiopian orphans are orphaned due to death of their parents. I want our child to be reunited with her biological family one day in heaven! :)
2. Please pray for our initial paperwork and application fees. We know God will not let something like money get in the way of adoption, but it is a looming cloud right now.
3. Please pray for Lance & I to stay organized and on top of things. We also just closed on our house and are spending lots of hours working on that!
4. Please pray that the Ethiopian courts stay open. They close for the months of Sept & Oct and no one ever knows what will happen with adoption when they re-open.
Ok that's all for now.
Thanks for checkin in......
4 comments:
Praying of course. Love you.
Praying lots! Love you.
so happy for you. what a blessing that God has placed this journey on both of your hearts. I am praying for your sweet baby girl, your journey and for the future with your little baby :)
I feel like a horrible friend for just now reading this but now I feel up to date!!! We will be praying and supporting you in every way!!!
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