we cant adopt?

Of course, the truth is that we CAN adopt.  There is no law keeping us from being an adoptive mom and dad.  So, the title and theme of this blog has everything to do with our realization that we are not alone in this.  God has put an unfading love in our hearts for the millions of orphans on this earth and we know that he will lead us to our child one day.  By ourselves, we would not be able to handle the emotional, physical and financial demands of adoption.  By God’s grace he has provided us with family and friends who have reaffirmed us on this journey.  We can’t adopt.  But with God giving us himself and working through all those around us, we can.

Here is the first chapter of our adoption story…

When people talk about important things and then don’t revisit them until much later, certain details tend to get lost.  That, I believe,  is what happened one day when Cassie asked me to really tell her how I felt about adoption.  It turns out that my excitement about the idea of adoption did not remain as vivid in her mind as it had in my own.  I defended my case for too long but the “discussion” ended with us both knowing that each party was equally as motivated to pursue adoption.

Fast forward to November 6th, 2010….

Eden, North Carolina

We are sitting in a small classroom of a very large church.  The woman in the front of the room is listing numerous costs and requirements based on who and where you are planning to adopt.  Understand that only a few minutes earlier we had just approached base-camp of the mountain that is orphan care.  And, just as many travelers who set their sites on Everest’s summit, we were beginning to feel…well…small.

Looking over at Cassie I whispered my fear, “I don’t know if we can even do this”.

She must have been thinking the same thing but came to the truth much faster than me.  I could see the weight of all the numbers lift from her face and pull the corners of her mouth up into a smile as she said,

“Your right, we can’t do it”

Soon, I was smiling back at her and we turned again to listen…

Since that day, we have been affirmed over and over that God is calling us into the world of orphan care.  That calling seems to us as clear as a ringing bell.  At the same time, it’s easy for us to slip back into fear when we think of all the unknowns.  What we do know is that this journey will stretch our faith in ways that will hurt and strengthen.  We cling to the redeeming work of Jesus Christ to guide us as his own adopted children:

Romans 8:15-16

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”.  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

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