What's A Mom To Do . . . When The Call To Adopt Has You Thinking You May Be Completely Out of Your Mind?

The call to adopt a child is not for the faint of heart. No matter if you are childless and desperately want a family or you already have kids and feel called to open your home to a child who needs one. It all takes a large step of faith and a surrender of your control. 

It was 15 years ago, while attending a Stephen Curtis Chapman concert with our church youth group, that we felt the first nudging to adopt a child. Keep in mind that our youngest was 13 at the time and our oldest was already in college. But a heartstrings-tugging video was played, showing the many precious orphans who needed a forever family, and we were hooked. 

Twentysix months after that nudging we returned home from Hunan, China, arriving at the Greenville airport with our 18 pound, 23 month old China doll. She had captured our hearts and we were blown away at how much we could love this little one we had known for less than 10 days.

Two months later, I felt that nudging again. It was triggered by another video, this one on television, of orphans who were being left on the floor in a “sick room” to fend for themselves. God, are we supposed to get another one? Do you remember how old we are?  I’m not here to argue if this was a calling from God or if it was gas pains. I’ll go with Oswald Chambers’ words that we are to recklessly abandon ourselves to what we believe God is asking us to do. “We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.” (Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest, April 29 Devotion)  We went for it and, my goodness, were we in for many surprises.

After having experienced a year and a half of costly delays from our originally scheduled trip to adopt in Kazakhstan (it’s the eighth largest country in the world if you’ve never heard of it) we hit another bump in our road. This bump, among the hundreds we had experienced in our three year painful adoption journey, came as a week-long delay when all Kazak government offices closed for their official New Years celebration. We sat waiting while others celebrated. 

Moments before we were to be taken to the baby house in Karaganda, Kazakhstan to be introduced to our child for the first time, these are the words I wrote: “We are the biggest FOOLS to be here right now, crazy and completely out of our minds, or we are right smack in the middle of God’s will. We serve a God who is not ordinary, not predictable, not necessarily safe, definitely not boring, and yes, good and AWESOMELY WONDERFUL. Oh God, help us know we are where you want us to be.” (Excerpt from journeytofaithking.blogspot.com)

That’s what faith is, isn’t it? Believing and looking to One we cannot see, especially when challenges come our way. Hard times push us to see God and hold on tight to the One who will lead us. He is really the only certain thing we’ve got.  When we feel overwhelmed we begin to look outside ourselves for the help we need. Every challenge we face gives us an opportunity to question if we’re where we are supposed to be. Every difficulty gives us an opportunity to be more desperate for the nearness of God.

Those who know my story know that there have been several ongoing challenges which remind me of my need to walk closely with Jesus. On the days I am able to see those challenges for the blessing God intends them to be there is much hope and peace within. I believe that’s how He is with all of us.

God is gracious to offer each one of us daily invitations to abide in Him and enjoy his presence. Both in the storm and in the calm. He never intended for us to go through any of our moments alone. It’s by his design that we were made to need Him. He knows we are sunk on our own. With great love, God always has his hand extended and ready for us to let go of ourselves and take hold of His hand in trust and full surrender. 

He is where our strength comes from. Do you feel like you’ve lost your mind some days? God knows. Take hold of Him.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33”