Thursday Devotional - Faithful and Right

I’m back! A huge “thank you” to Renae for faithfully, creatively and thoughtfully writing inspiring Thursday devotionals these past 11 months!

It’s been quite a whirlwind of a year! Not only did adding two more children multiply time on meals, baths, laundry, and numerous other things, but I came back to one of the most stressful tax seasons ever. Apparently, it’s still not over, as we have a 2020 update coming out for the Ida disaster relief! 

Anyway, the Lord faithfully helped us through and enabled us to face one day at a time. It’s usually a good thing we don’t know what lies ahead. 😊

Our family memory verse for last week was:

Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.

This life doesn’t always go smoothly or how we would like, but we can trust everything the Lord says and does. He will be faithful to enable us to do what He’s asked us to do.

The adoption was another fiasco. Packets of paperwork had to be redone several times for various mistakes, pushing the adoption further and further out. Then, we sat, waited and participated in what we thought was the final  adoption hearing, but it had to be completely redone over a month later! In the midst of all the frustration, I kept clinging to God’s Sovereignty, knowing He would still work His plan and accomplish His purposes because He is trustworthy, even when people aren’t.

Another verse we learned this summer was Isaiah 43:1 I have called you by name, you are mine. I’m His, and so are Joe, James, Sarah, Edmund and Alexis! The twins are also finally legally Reas, with official paperwork from a few weeks ago!!!

God is faithful and right, all the time!

How will you cling to these truths this week in your own circumstances?     

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Adoption, Take 2

Thank you to all those who prayed for James last week! He is finally feeling better with no more numbness or blurred vision. We’re praising God!

This week, we willingly face a different set of challenges! We’re four becoming six! We fostered-to-adopt James and Sarah 4 years ago and God had plans for us to do it again (it’s a long story, but we had specifically told our licensing agency we were a closed home during the pandemic).

Tomorrow, twins (a boy and girl, turning 4 in October), will move into our home! They were born the exact day and year as the day we officially adopted James and Sarah!!! Finding that out was one of the many confirmations God gave us to “say yes” to fostering-to-adopt again.

We just took our foursome family photo the end of July, which I thought would be perfect for our Christmas card! I guess not… 😉

God continues to fulfill His purposes from the burden he placed on our hearts over 10 years ago about taking care of orphans.  

Isaiah 1:17   Learn to do right; seek justice.

   Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;

   plead the case of the widow.

James 1:27         Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Will you please pray for all 6 of us as we go this huge transition? It’s exciting and scary, all at the same time!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XV - Completion

After the final piece of adoption paperwork was approved, our adoption hearing was set for October 24! It had been over 16 months since we met the kids, 11 months since we started keeping them on weekends, and 4 months since we had kept them full time. It had also been just over 9 years since our miscarriage, 7 years since God laid it on our hearts to consider adoption, and 2 ½ years since we officially started the foster license process (when we didn’t get locked out of the building J).

The morning of our adoption, James asked to pray at breakfast and thanked God that we were adopting them. He then added “and thank you God that we get to adopt Mommy and Daddy.” I smiled. I guess in a sense we were all adopting each other! We didn’t make them call us Mommy and Daddy, but they chose to call us that over time. James called us Alice and Joe at first, then Mommy Alice and Daddy Joe and then finally just Mommy and Daddy.

Jesus has always been able to call God “Father,” but we only have that right because Jesus completed the work of atonement so we could be adopted as God’s children and receive eternal life.

John 17:1-5   After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus finished all of the work for our adoption. Have you chosen to accept it and call God your Father? If so, how well are you and I getting to know our perfect Father? Our eternal life starts now, as we get to know the only true God! How are you and I living in such a way that brings glory to our Heavenly Father?   

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XIV - Instructions

When James and Sarah came to live with us, we all had many adjustments to make. They also had lots of new house rules to learn!

Remember to take your shoes off.

Only eat at the kitchen table.

Wash your hands before and after meals.

Wash your hands before playing the piano.

Be quiet while the pastor talks.

Keep the water in the tub.

Keep your hands off the widows and mirrors.

Only play with toys.

We tried to remember to word as many things as possible in a positive way. Instead of always saying “don’t take your drink out of the kitchen” we would sometimes ask something like “where does your drink belong?” However, we were still constantly giving them instructions and wondered what was too much! They hadn’t grown up in our house to learn all these things gradually along the way over the past 2-3 years.

As Jesus prepared to leave His disciples He had lots of instructions for them (see John chapters 13-17). Unlike us, He is all wise. He knew how much the disciples could handle at once and what instructions He would wait to give them via the Holy Spirit later.

John 16:12-14         ¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

We now have access to the entire Bible filled with God’s instructions! The Holy Spirit guided the prophets and apostles to write down God’s love story for us so we could know how to have and enjoy an intimate relationship with our Creator.

How well do you and I value God’s instructions? Do we pick and choose which ones we think are important? Or, do we seek to understand them all, knowing they are for our benefit and protection?

Psalm 25:8-10         Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XIII - Name Change

Sarah’s birth name was Serenity. When we first met James and “Serenity,” James couldn’t say Serenity so he called her Sissy. We used that name for her, too, especially after they moved in permanently with us. As we met with our adoption worker, she talked to us about possibly changing Serenity’s name. I was concerned about the affect it would have on the kids, but our worker reassured us and encouraged us to change it to something that would fit with the rest of our family names. Plus, since the kids were young enough, they would adjust quickly. The short amount of adjustment “pains” now would save years of questions she might get down the road.

After using the name Sissy all summer, we finally got word we could start talking to the kids about their upcoming name changes and what that would mean. I was nervous to have the first conversation, but James didn’t blink an eye! In fact, that night at bedtime he asked “so what’s my new name going to be again?” (He got a new middle and last name and “Sissy” got a new first and last name. We called her “Sissy Sarah” for the Fall and we gradually/naturally dropped the “Sissy” over time.)

Jesus gave the disciples a new name, too, to represent their change in status.

John 15:12-17 ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Has Jesus given you a new name to better represent how you fit into His family? What does Jesus call you and me? Are we His seekers, His followers, His servants, or His friends? His friends know his business, know His expectations, know where He is working and readily join in His cause. We can call Jesus our friend, but can He call us His friend? Do you and I know His Word and His commands and His character well enough to be able to be called His friend? If so, like the disciples, you and I will bear fruit that will last!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XII - Premature Peace

On June 17^th, the day before we were scheduled to get permanent placement of the kids, I got a text from the current foster mom about schedule conflicts with transferring the children. My heart sank as I wondered if they were changing their minds about transferring the kids. I wrote back and offered to pick the kids up that afternoon if it would help! After several texts back and forth, it was agreed I would meet them at 4:30 pm that afternoon!

As my sister said, children often arrive at an unexpected and unpredicted time and sometimes premature! We can think we aren’t ever ready for the drastic change they bring, but as we rely on the Holy Spirit inside us, He gives us what we need when we need it! Plus, getting our kids a day early gave us premature peace that the current foster family wasn’t going to change their mind and keep the kids.   

Jesus gave premature peace to His disciples. A few hours before Jesus was arrested, He gave His disciples wonderful words of wisdom and peace (John chapters 13-17). They had no idea they would need this a few hours later.

John 14:25-27 ²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Whether we know or have no idea about the challenges we are about to face, we have access to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and peace. He can help us choose to not be troubled or fearful. How will you and I allow Him to train us now so we can have premature peace? Then, no matter what personal, professional, physical, or parental challenges come our way, we can continue in peace, experiencing the permanent peace Jesus offers!   

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XI - Clarity After the Fact

As it looked more likely we could be the adoptive family for James and Sarah, Joe and I started looking at bigger homes. We were in a 2 bedroom 1 ½ bath condo that I had owned for almost 13 years. James and Sarah shared a room, but often woke each other up in the night or during nap time.

After looking a little bit, we decided it might be too much change at once! Being able to give James and Sarah their own room was a want more than a need, at least while they are little. We thought we should postpone looking for the time being.

However, a couple weeks later, my Mom got a call from a local family friend who said she was thinking about selling her house but hadn’t put it on the market yet. We looked at the house and liked it! She didn’t give us a price, so we made what we thought was a fair offer. She counter-offered, though, and we weren’t comfortable paying more. After much deliberation and prayer, we were led to walk away. The owner then planned to list the house.

A couple days later, the owner called us back and said she (and her grown children) decided she wasn’t in a position to get her house ready to list and show so she would go with our original offer. I couldn’t believe it! God clearly confirmed He had picked and provided this house just for us! It certainly wasn’t clear in the midst of all the deliberating. I had been confused why He led us to walk away when I felt like He had directed us to the house, but now it all made sense!

Jesus told His disciples many things they would only understand after His death and resurrection. Everything didn’t all make sense initially.

John 14:18-21, 28-29  ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” …²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

We’re to obey God, even when it doesn’t make sense or we think we have a better idea. He knows bests! Often we can look back and understand what He was doing, but only after the fact. If Joe and I had gone with the counter-offer we would have gotten the house God had for us, but we wouldn’t have experienced the peace and joy of His clear confirmation!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part X - Opportunities while Waiting

After keeping James and Sarah over spring break last year, we were even more eager to expedite the process of having them placed in our home. After our additional rounds of background checks and interviews cleared, the adoption agency worked with us to get our adoption application filed with the State. We were told that could take some time for the State to approve us as the adoptive family, but once they did approve, the kids would need to transfer homes immediately and then there would still be a 6 month trial period. 

Not knowing when we would be approved, the adoption agency asked the current foster family if they would agree to transfer the foster placement ahead of time so that we could all plan for a set day. Surprisingly they agreed, and June 18^th was set as the official transfer day (the day before Father’s Day). To help with the transition, we gradually increased our length of respite care for the 6 weeks leading up to June 18^th.  After each extra-long weekend with the kids, it got harder and harder to say goodbye and return them to their current foster family.

As we tried to patiently wait for June 18^th, God gave us opportunities to use our last few weeks without permanent children to spend time with extended family out of state. We visited my 92 year old grandfather in Texas, Joe’s family in Ohio, and I visited my sister and her husband and new baby in Virginia. (It ended up being my last visit with my grandfather, as he passed in July.)  

Similarly, as we wait for our day of transfer to Heaven, God has things for us to do. We aren’t to get impatient or frustrated or give up and sit around doing nothing while we wait.

John 14:1-4, 12, 15 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.” …  ¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father…¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. 

Are you anxiously anticipating Heaven? Joining Jesus in Heaven will be the most exciting day ever! As we wait, how are you and I wisely using our time here on earth in preparation for that day? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Born and Adopted Twice

Several weeks ago James announced he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart! Excitedly, Joe and I stopped and talked with him about what that meant! James knows who God is, knows he can talk to Him at any time and loves to pray. He also knows that Jesus died on the cross, but we weren’t sure he had a good grasp yet on what sin is and why Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins. So, we talked about sin and asked several questions about his understanding. Suddenly, he looked up at our elephant lamp and started asking questions about the elephant. That was the end of our sin conversation, at least for the moment!

We’ve had several more conversations with James and Sarah about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, what sin is, that Jesus isn’t still dead, that followers of Jesus want to obey Him, but we still sin and need to ask forgiveness for our specific daily sins, etc. 

Well, Monday at dinner Sarah looked outside at the darkness and said she was scared. I asked what she could do about being scared and she said “go to church.” James then interjected and told her she could talk to God and Jesus. I confirmed “Yes!”

Then, James stopped eating and said he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart. Unprompted, he said “Jesus, will you come into my heart?” [pause] “Jesus said yes!” We then talked through what having Jesus (through the Holy Spirit) in our hearts means - He forgives our sins and helps us love and obey Him. James was able to tell me what some of his recent sins were. At some point in the conversation I asked James what he wanted Jesus to do for him (to test the genuineness of his faith) and he said “forgive my sins!” So, I said he could also pray and ask Jesus to forgive his sins and help him love and obey God. He immediately and voluntarily prayed on his own in his own words about all that!!!

I hugged James and told him he was a child of God! After dinner was over, James got down and hopped to the bathroom to wash his hands, chanting “I’m a child of God! I’m a child of God!” Yes, I believe James’ faith is genuine. He has been born again and adopted into God’s family!

John 3:3  In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

John 3:14-15  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Ephesians 1:5-8      ⁵ he predestined us for adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us, with all wisdom and understanding.

James has been born and adopted twice!  

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part IX - Blessings from the Impossible

As I mentioned last week, slowly the other possible homes for James and Sarah fell through and left us and the current foster family. The current foster family didn’t take their names off the list, in case we fell through. They also made it seem like they were waiting to decide if we cared enough about the kids. If they didn’t feel like we cared enough, then they were going to adopt. It certainly made us feel manipulated for continuous weekend respite care, not to mention extra scrutiny.

After much pressure, even though it was the heat of tax season, we also agreed to keep the kids for part of Spring break so that the foster family could go on a family vacation geared for their older children. However, a few days before Spring break, the other family that was going to take the kids for the other half of the week called and cancelled. We were then pressured that if we really cared about the kids we would agree to keep them longer than originally planned! I felt like we were already going way out of our way and had already taken off some work time at a very busy time of year.

After prayer and talking to my boss about a creative work schedule, we agreed to keep the kids. It was quite a tiring week, but we really bonded with them! It helped to be all together for more than just a weekend!!! God used what seemed like unrealistic expectations to bring blessings. I shouldn’t be surprised, as God can bring blessings from any impossible situation, including death!  

John 11:38-43           ³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹ “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” ⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
What are you facing that seems overwhelming, stressful, or impossible? Will you take it to God and then be willing to creatively participate in the solution? The greatest blessings often come out of the most difficult situations.

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part VIII - Glory from Delay

The delayed process to adopt James and Sarah was frustrating. However, looking back, we can see how God received greater glory through all the delays! He made it more and more clear He intended us to adopt and that He was in control to bring it about.

Last March and April we continued to keep James and Sarah on weekends as we awaited the outcomes of other possible families for them. First, their biological mother said she appealed the termination, but she only thought she did (or wished she had, or wanted to believe she had). No record of an appeal was found, so the termination of the rights was not reversed.

Second, the uncle that said he was interested in the children didn’t have enough money to come up from Texas to even meet the children. He already had three of his own children, and didn’t have a permanent residence at the time. So, he relinquished his interest.

Third, one of James’ former foster families turned out not to be interested in adopting the children themselves, but wanted a relative of theirs to adopt. The relative didn’t have any recent connection to the children, so they were also scratched off the list. That left us and the current foster family.

God’s seeming delay is always for His purposes and His glory. As with the raising of Lazarus, Jesus delayed for God’s glory and the benefit of his disciples.

John 11:1, 3-6, 14-15  Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… ³So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." ⁴When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." ⁵Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days… 

¹⁴So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Can you think back over your past situations and see how God received greater glory and grew your faith through seeming delays? Let’s remember that as we face new situations that don’t seem to be working out in the timing we think is best.

Alice 

Our Journey to Adoption, Part VII - Trusting the Shepherd

John 10:1-5  “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, always acts with integrity and can be fully trusted. He doesn’t scatter or harm his sheep, but personally interacts and calls each one by name. He leads His sheep in the right direction. He doesn’t always hold and carry each sheep and doesn’t have any of His sheep on a leash, but He is always there to protect and lead. As His sheep, we have the responsibility to listen and follow, even through difficult terrain.

In February last year, James and Sarah’s biological parents’ rights were finally terminated. However, more uncertainties surfaced. Their biological mom had a certain amount of time to appeal and she said she did appeal. In addition, an uncle was found that wanted the children and a former foster family expressed interest in adopting them. We appeared further down on the list of possible parents.

Since the children were now up for adoption, a new adoption worker and adoption organization were given their case. Knowing we were one of several couples in the “hat,” we nervously continued a new round of interviews, fingerprints, physicals, background checks, paper work, etc. All the while, we were growing in our love for the kids as we continued to do weekend respite care. It was a daily struggle to not let all the uncertainties weigh me down and stress me out. We kept praying for God’s will and direction while continually remembering that He’s the one who brought us together in the first place!

In what situation right now do you and I need to trust Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and follow His lead? He cares for us, loves us and is always there to lead us!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part VI - Jesus is Enough!

As we saw last week, the blind man faced quite the opposition right after he received his sight.  He was taken to the Pharisees for questioning, his parents weren’t supportive, and he was eventually thrown out of the synagogue!  Jesus didn’t leave him there, though. 

 John 9:35-38                ³⁵Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" ³⁶"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." ³⁷Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." ³⁸Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

Jesus didn’t get the man reinstated into the synagogue or fix his relationships, but He did reveal more of Himself to him. He helped the man’s faith continue to grow, which was far more important. In response, the man chose not to focus on what he didn’t have or what he lost but instead chose to focus on what he did have and who Jesus was. Jesus was enough!

That’s a lesson God continually impressed on me through our adoption journey. Last winter as court dates kept not being scheduled or scheduled and then canceled, it was easy to get frustrated. We even saw a third fertility doctor and finally tried insemination twice, to no success. However, after starting my period for about the hundredth time since our miscarriage, I was able to praise God! We were studying the book of Revelation at the time and how worthy Jesus always is! He is enough! 

Where else do you and I need to turn our focus away from what we don’t have or what we’ve lost and instead remember what we do have and who Jesus is? He is always approachable, always available, always there, always offering help, and always worthy of worship. Jesus is enough!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part V - A Rough Beginning

When we first met James and Sarah at a park (in July 2015), Sarah was barely walking and not really talking. James was bouncing off anything and everything, but let us play with him. We met another time or two at a park. In the meantime, the court had a hearing and proceeded to pursue adoption rather than reunification. They were to schedule a hearing 3 months out to terminate the parents’ rights. However, it never got scheduled.

We continued to schedule meetings with the kids, though. In the Fall (of 2015), we met the kids at the Toledo Zoo and then scheduled their first visit to our house for the weekend before Thanksgiving. The plan was to introduce the kids to our house and then keep the kids over the Thanksgiving weekend overnight. We had a bad snow storm, though, and the foster family turned around after making it only a few miles. We still went ahead with the Thanksgiving overnight the next weekend. I was nervous and it ended up far worse than I had imagined. They screamed and flailed an hour at bedtime. We tried to reassure them that they were going home the next day, we hugged them, we scratched backs, but nothing seemed to calm them. Of course, I can’t imagine what was going on in their little heads and how confused they must have felt. Sarah screamed about 5 different times throughout the night, too. It was horrible! What made it worse is that we didn’t even know how likely it would be for us to adopt the kids.  

We couldn’t argue God’s hand in the details leading up to this point, so we had to continue following His lead even through all the difficulties and unknowns.

As with the blind man Jesus healed, his life didn’t get easier after encountering and following Jesus. He could see, but he then got kicked out of the synagogue!

John 9:24-34   ²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” ²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” ²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him… ³⁰ The man answered…³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

How has following Jesus brought blessings, but also hardship and turmoil? God works through the hardships to develop perseverance and grow our faith, just as He did with the blind man. Where do you and I need to persevere (remembering the blessings), knowing God will be with us and help us?  

Our Journey to Adoption, Part IV - Unique and Unexpected

We never dreamed we would be connected to our future children by shopping in a boutique shop downtown Saline, but that’s what happened!

My Mom met a friend for coffee and afterwards her friend wanted to look around in a shop across the street. They struck up a conversation with the store owner who started talking about her daughter (Brook). Brook had recently taken in a special needs baby, but had later been approached by another foster Mom to consider adopting two small children who needed a good home. The parental rights for the two small children were likely to be terminated soon. However, Brook wasn’t able to take them on, too. My Mom then chimed in and said that we were licensed to foster and gave the store owner my number!

My number passed through several hands before getting to the foster Mom, and it somehow got transposed in translation so she wasn’t able to reach me. God had her be persistent, though. She reached out to Brook again and Brook realized she knew my sister. So, she Facebook messaged my sister for our numbers and the foster Mom finally got through to Joe! We told the foster Mom we were very interested in meeting the children and scheduled our first meeting at a park in July of 2015!

Coincidence? I don’t think so. I think God had ordained the meeting a long time ago. What seemed like an unexpected and unusual encounter was part of God’s plan to accomplish His purposes!

In my Bible study this week, we studied Jesus’ unique and unexpected way of healing a blind man. It all happened the way it did so God would get the glory!

John 9:1-7    As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

God does things today for the purpose of displaying His work. He displayed His glory in the unique and expected way we met James and Sarah!

How have you seen God work in unique and unexpected ways? How does that help you and me trust Him for the future?

Alice 

Our Journey to Adoption, Part III - Moving forward

We finally got our foster license in February 2015. It took 9 months to complete all the paperwork, interviews, background checks and training to become a licensed foster home. I wrote a devotional about it at the time… Anyway, we got a call 3 weeks later for an 8 day old baby girl! We were shocked and excited! My Mom and sister washed all their baby stuff in the 3 days before we were to pick her up. Then, we got another call that it was decided to keep her in the temporary foster home she was already in. We were all very disappointed.

The next few months were quiet. No more phone calls came. We were told it might take a while since we were only open to certain children 18 months and younger. However, never having done it before, we weren’t led to change any of our restrictions.

Last week I talked about multiple “right” choices before us at times and that sometimes God seems to want us to take one step of faith forward with the wisdom He’s given us. He doesn’t always give us step-by-step instructions. So, as we waited for a foster child, a friend recommended another fertility doctor and we made an appointment. We went through repeat tests and some new tests and the doctor did find one possible hurdle to pregnancy. For several months we tried some natural things to counteract. However, we still didn’t get pregnant and didn’t get a call to take in a foster child.

I do like it when God lays things in my lap and I often want to sit back and wait for that in each situation! We were willing to patiently wait for the children God had for us, if children were His will. However, He wanted us to actively participate.

God expects us to move forward in faith with the wisdom He’s already revealed to us. In Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the one that took the talent and did nothing was rebuked harshly.

Matthew 25:26-29 His master replied, “you wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “

“Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” 

As we move forward in faith, God grows our faith (gives us “more” faith). Where are you sitting back waiting for God to work, when He might be waiting for you to take a step forward in faith before He reveals the next step? 

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part II - Choices

In 2010, Joe went back to school for a master’s in psychology (after financial constrains led to his job loss as a youth pastor). So, I thought maybe God was going to wait to give us children until after Joe finished his masters and got another job. However, we did eventually see a second fertility doctor, who again didn’t find any issues.

Joe graduated in 2012 and got a full-time job at a treatment facility in 2013. No pregnancy ensued, though. We didn’t sense any direction from God regarding adoption, either.

Then, in 2014, we were led to again call the Department of Human Services about attending a foster orientation. They were no longer hosting orientation classes, but contracted with Orchards Children’s Services to conduct in-home orientation classes. So, a lady came out to our home. (We let her in and didn’t lock her out! J) After orientation, we could choose any agency to go through to get our foster license. I didn’t know which agency to pick. Even after prayer, it wasn’t clear. Joe thought we could go with Orchards as they did the orientation, so that’s what we did.

God knew it didn’t matter where we got licensed. He knew the unique circumstances that would connect us with James and Sarah. It only mattered that we got licensed and not who licensed us. I had worried about selecting the “right” licensing agency when God knew it didn’t matter.

Sometimes any of the choices before us are the “right” choice. I often want God to specifically direct me to a certain choice. I don’t want to make a mistake. However, He is Sovereign!! He will accomplish His plans even if I do make a mistake.  

Job 42: 1-2 Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.

Have you ever been stuck in a situation where any choice could be the “right” one? Besides prayer, we should also check our options against God’s Word. Do any of the choices violate any of His commands? If not, we don’t need to keep sitting and waiting but can move forward in faith with any choice.    

James 3:13, 17-18            If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom… But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Are you in a situation where many options seem good? After much prayer and checking your options against God’s Word, you can move forward in faith with any of the choices. Then, be open to God’s confirmation or redirection as you take one step of faith after another!

Alice  

Our Journey to Adoption, Part I

For a while, we thought it wasn’t God’s timing for us to have children. Then, in 2009, we were studying the book of Isaiah and I was challenged by God’s command to take care of widows and orphans.

Isaiah 1:17   Learn to do right; seek justice.

   Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;

   plead the case of the widow.

James 1:27         Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

As we researched “orphans” in the United States, we realized there are very few orphanages anymore and few of them actually adopt out the children. However, there are thousands of children in the foster system. So, we prayed about whether God was directing us to take care of orphans by pursuing foster-to-adopt.

In God’s timing, several months later there was an “Orphan” conference in Grand Rapids. It was all about fostering-to-adopt. We attended the conference and then signed up for an official orientation class in our area through the Department of Human Services. However, we had bad traffic, were 2 minutes late and the doors were locked when we arrived. We knocked on doors and called numbers we had, but to no avail. We took that as literally a closed door, at least for a time.

God knew we didn’t need to be licensed yet. James wasn’t going to be born for over 2 years. I think God planted the idea early so He could prepare our hearts and test our willingness.

Has God planted a desire or goal or purpose in your heart that hasn’t gone anywhere or worked out, at least not yet? Will you seek and then trust His perfect timing?  

Alice