Yes, we do have 3 crazy, rambunctious, silly, wide-open, strong-willed, AMAZING boys. And, yes, they are biological. The Lord blessed us with wonderfully easy pregnancies for each of them. Every time, we became pregnant quickly (once even unexpectantly) and I don't take this lightly. I know many, many friends who have struggled for years to get pregnant or have had harsh, painful and anxiety filled pregnancies. Maybe the Lord would bless us again if we chose to try to become pregnant…or, maybe not. Either way, it doesn't really matter because this decision has nothing to do with that. This decision is about obedience, it's about faith, and it's about following a call.
Proverbs 24:12 tells us that (paraphrased) "Once our eyes are opened we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows we know and holds us responsible to act."
There are so many reasons why I could tell you that we are feeling called to adopt. First, I could point you to the statistics*:
- It is estimated that there are between 143 and 210 MILLION orphans worldwide. To wrap your head around this statistic, keep in mind that there are about 300 million people living in the United States today.
- Every day 5,760 more children become orphans.
- 33% of Americans consider adoption. Less than 2% actually adopt.
- If 1 family in every 3 American churches chose to adopt a waiting child, every waiting child in America would have a forever family.
- "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and righteous is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
- "Do not take advantage of the widow or orphan." Exodus 22:22
- "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82:3
- "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me." Matthew 18:5
Or I could show you a few of the precious babies with whom I've fallen in love**:
Each of these in and of themselves would be a wonderful and noble reason to adopt. And, I'd be lying if I said that they did not influenced our decision as we've processed them along the way. However, the most compelling argument of all is the fact that I, myself, am adopted. What?! Those of you who know me, are shaking your head and saying, "That's not true!" But, it is true. Spiritually speaking. I was lost and dead in my sin when God found me. My soul was orphaned until He came and adopted me as His child. John 1:12 says, "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." A child of God. That's what I am - and it takes my breath away.
Galatians 4:4 states, "But when the right time came, God sent his Son...to buy freedom for us...so that he could adopt us as his very own children." Did you catch that? I was bought for a price. I was paid for with the blood of Christ. I am fully HIS. And, because I am fully His, I have received an inheritance. Romans 15 - 16 says, "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." What is my inheritance? Eternal life. He has breathed his Spirit on me and, because of that Spirit, I am washed clean and am deemed worthy of an eternity in the presence of my Lord. He gives me the freedom and ability to whisper his name, "Abba, Father." When I am happy or sad, scared or elated, I can call on my Father and he will be there. He will not leave me because I am his child and he is my Father.
Because of sin, each and every one of us is lost and orphaned and alone. Sin completely and utterly separates us from our Father. Without the grace of God, we will all remain that way. But, He comes to us, loves us, accepts us as his, pays for us and ADOPTS us. Then, he calls us to "therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children" (Ephesians 5:1). If he wants us to imitate him in all things, then he must desire for us, his children, to seek out those who are without a family, without love, comfort and support. And to adopt them as our own.***
This is why Andrew and I feel that we are being called to adopt. Because I, myself, have been adopted, I know what a gloriously beautiful gift it is. I know what it's like to have a place prepared for me in a house with many rooms. I know what it's like I have a Father who cares about my every breath, who knows the number of hairs on my head. I know what it's like to have brothers and sisters who pray for me daily and would lay down their life for me.
No child should be deprived of love, a family, or a home. Yet, every day, millions are. The heart-wrenching truth is that the worst depravation isn't the physical. To be deprived spiritually has eternal consequence. They need an earthly father who will point them to their Heavenly Father. They need to be held and snuggled, kissed and squeezed. And, when they are warm and content in the arms of love, they need to have a secret whispered in their ear: the secret that God loves them, that Jesus died on the cross as a ransom for their lives. They need to know. So that they, too, can be adopted - a second time.
*Statistics found on http://skywardjourney.wordpress.com/orphan-statistics/ and on http://www.abbafund.org/adoption-journey/adoption-facts/.
**Each of these precious children is waiting for a family and can be found on www.reecesrainbow.org.
***Please know that I do not believe that every person or family is called to adopt. But, I do believe that God has called each of us to take care of orphans in some way. Whether through prayer, financial support, physical support of those who are adopting, advocating for orphans or actually adopting, we are called by God to "care for orphans in their distress."
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