An Adoption Story

"You know you don't have to do this. You are not obligated. God has given you five children of your own to raise." These are the words that many loved ones spoke when we quietly announced that we would be adding the three children we have been fostering the past year, to our forever family. The words may sound harsh, but really they are true. And we knew it. That is exactly what made the decision hard.

But really, this adoption story does not start here. This adoption story, like all adoption stories is a part of all of our stories who call ourselves children of God. It is our story. It is His story.

Christ did not have to come to earth. He did not have to love us. He did not need our relationship or help or love. He just didn't have to. When Adam and Eve sinned, forever seperating us from God, the Father, He could very well just have started over somewhere else.

But he didn't.

He chose to come. He lived a sinless life. He chose to die a bloody death. For you and for me.

And he didn't have to do it.
 And we can't forget that.
Ever.

And so, this adoption story starts at the very beginning of this life together. The moments the quiet questions could no longer be pushed back in my mind. The moment I knew that if I were to die, though I had gone to church my entire life, I did not know what I would tell God to let me into Heaven.

The moment a man walks in and asks my Love, "What is the Gospel?" And He answers, "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John." Those were the moments this story starts. Right there.

In those moments we did not fully understand what the Gospel was. We just knew that there was something that was missing. Something that we wanted to know more about. And so we sought with the help of some wonderful people. And He found us, wretched sinners in need of a Savior. The two of us, who accepted the most grand grace of all time. Trading our shame for His glory.

I can't tell you the exact day or moment that God changed our hearts. It was a gradual shift and understanding of deeper truth. The realization of being a daughter or son of God and being found IN Christ is an ocean of truth I could never expound on. To say that I belong to the Most High, as much as His Son is too incredible to behold.

So when that beautiful blue eyed little girl prayed last night, "Thank you God for my sisters and brothers. For my house and soft bed. And thank you God for being adopted." I knew that though, it was hard because we knew we were never obligated...that it was our choice, I could wholeheartedly say amen to her prayer because I know what it means to be taken from darkness into the light.

A note to my faithful readers (all 4 of you) ;)~ I am going to start writing about our journey to adoption in the coming weeks. I know that it has been quiet around here during the summer months, but my goal is to write weekly. Let's pray that happens. :) We shall see...