Grafted In...

I can't write a post on adoption without including this video, because it's what the Lord said to me too... EXACTLY.

I was watching an episode of Oprah 8 years ago when the Lord opened my eyes to the one-child policy in China. I saw those little faces and thought of my sweet Anlsey, who was just a wee thing at the time. I thought... "Those are someone's children!... And if not someone's, they are the Lord's!" And He spoke to me and said, "Now that you know, what will you do?" I was pregnant with Aidan at the time and still feeling the morning sickness. I cried so hard that day, I thought I just might throw up. That night Matt and I agreed to pray about what God would have us do. We knew we needed to put first things first...

8 years later and after many attempts to start the process, we are finally the proud parents of 2 Chinese girls. The waiting was long, but He is so faithful. I am so glad that we got behind Him and trusted His timing and didn't choose to run ahead on our own. I believe this is primarily why our transition has been so miraculous. We WAITED. And Waited. And waited. And all the time, we prayed... "Lord, we will serve you while we wait..."

I can honestly say that God has orchestrated each and every step... From start to finish. This is by far the most incredible thing I have ever done. It has changed me from the inside out...

Let me explain...

I decided to read my Bible from cover to cover last year. Genesis to revelation. As I started reading, I found a running theme... "Take care of the orphans and the widows..."

This command runs through the Old & NewTestaments in at least 30 different passages of scripture. That's alot.

I am a reflective person. I think alot. Sometimes I think so much that I have a hard time verbalizing my thoughts. It's weird.

But my brother AJ asked me to share about how adoption has changed the way I view myself... as a fellow adoptee... into the family of Christ.

It has changed everything about how I see myself. But more importantly, it has changed the way I view the Lord.

First and foremost, I love how we have the Bible, almost as a birds eye view of life. I can relate to those Israelites on so many levels and it's eye opening to be able to sit back and watch how they behave and how the Lord deals with them. I know that He is a never-changing, constant God and so I am encouraged by the fact that He never once left them or broke His covenant with them, and He does the same for me. Even though I am rebellious and disobedient, He is there... waiting so patiently for me to call His name... "Abba, Father".

An orphan is special because they are chosen.

I was chosen.

You were chosen.

An orphan is special because they did nothing to deserve the love of a family. They come with nothing but the clothes on their backs and they can not contribute to the financial cost.

Adoption is costly.

Adoption is scary.

Adoption is time consuming.

Adoption is a loooong process.

Adoption is beautiful.

Adoption is messy.

Adoption is on many levels... hard.

Those of us who adopt have the blessing of being able to experience in a very small way, what Jesus did for us.

He chose to come down, leave His home of perfection, to pay a very costly price in order to love us and nurture us and be with us. And He did this for the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. He chose to die for us in spite of the fact that we may never accept Him. He chose to sacrifice everything for us even though we may never fully appreciate Him. He chose to love us even though we may spit in His face and curse Him...

I am adopted.

I am part of the family of God.

He chose me...

Me

While I was yet a sinner...

Christ died for me.

I will never be able to repay Him for that.

And I praise God that He doesn't expect that from me.

So, when I think about what this means to me and the new events in my life...

It means everything.

My girls are special.

They are mine.

They are grafted in my family forever.

I am His.

I am special.

I am grafted in His family forever.

Blessings,
Rebecca