Why Wouldn't We?

Our adoption journey began about 7 years ago. Granted, it looks very different now then when it was first discussed! After we lost our first baby, Derek and I decided that we would adopt if we could not have children. We felt it would be a good idea to make a decision before we got in the middle of the emotions of infertility. To God’s glory, He had a different idea for our family. We have two beautiful daughters that the Lord has entrusted us with here on earth! We love them so! Over the years, our thought of adoption never was out of our minds. But the last few years it was tugging at my heart that would be something we should pursue. God has brought us to a place where adoption is no longer a “means to an end” to have more children, but an act of obedience to what we think He is calling our family to. Through watching the adoption journey of our dear friends we have also learned that adoption is also a reminder of our own adoption. Not an earthly adoption, but our heavenly adoption!

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? Romans 8:23-24

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21

Adoption has been referred to as the visible gospel. Jesus came to the earth from His heavenly home, died on the cross, rose from the grave, and went to heaven to purchase a place for us in heaven someday! Thank you, God, for that amazing free gift of eternal life for which I can do nothing to earn and I surely don’t deserve it!!! We are excited to see what or where God will lead us. I love that God continues to show, in big and small ways, the way to go. Before Derek left for the Summit, as we were talking about adoption, I finally said to him, “honey, why wouldn’t we?” As you will read next, God brought that phrase to Derek once again in a mighty way!

A note from Derek….
More recently, both Christy and I have been praying and waiting on the Lord to guide us through the life changing decision making process of adoption. For months we have been talking more frequently about what our family looks like and that we would like to adopt a baby boy. We have been discussing how, where, when and what the next steps would look like. We agreed that we felt lead to consider international adoption, likely from Africa but being the analytical person that I am, I quickly realized we would be stretched financially to come up with adequate funds for adoption. As the leader of my home, all these burdens on my heart, I had to rely upon the Lord to help me listen to what he had and or has in store.
Well, as the Lord would have it, I became involved in a small team @ our church to begin putting together information about adoption resources that people in our church could utilize. Adoption had become a normal conversation around our house but my work demands have become rather challenging and another distraction was taking center stage for the time being.
Involvement in the adoption task force from church lead me to attending the Adoption Summit VI in Minneapolis, MN in late April. As He would have it, I began to quickly realize I was at this summit for more than one reason. The opening sessions of the summit were God felt and one of the songs from Peter Eide (Why Wouldn’t I) grabbed a hold of me. After the opening sessions, I began to peruse the many vendors to gather information and request resources to be sent to our church since that was why I was in attendance to this summit. Next, I started talking to agency vendors about adoption and options and the Lord began to lead me one by one to specific people throughout the exhibit areas. I then went to several of my pre-selected breakout sessions and began to see how establishing adoption resources at your church can be done effectively. God was really working on my heart and I kept asking myself if the dinner table back home is really full? I came across a non-profit agency that simply helps people answer questions about adoption and is a great Christ centered resource to help people through the selection of an adoption agency, funding, etc. The ordinary guy (a painter) who is the husband of the woman who runs and owns this agency began to tell me a heart felt story of how their adoption journey began. The beginning of this conversation and story sounded so familiar – it was exactly where I was… How can we possibly pay for such an expense as international adoption? I left this conversation rather encouraged and know God orchestrated the whole talk. I walked out to my car to drop off some materials in my hands and began to feel the emotions of the whole process. At this point, I asked myself in the parking lot of church, Why Wouldn’t We? From this point forward, I have felt differently in a sense. I guess the Lord has given me the peace that comes along with crying out to him. I know we both want to adopt and I know my wife has been waiting for me to say – Yes! Well, in mid May I completed several online pre-adoption forms and we have began saving! When will the next steps begin – that is in our Lord Jesus Christ’s hands. I give God all the glory for his mercy and grace in my life. Thank you Lord for working in my life and not giving me what I deserve.