My newest grandchild became a part of my family today. I haven't met her yet, but I have been anticipating her arrival for three years.
In September 2008, my son and his wife felt God calling them to adopt a child - preferably a girl. They have two terrific natural born sons, so they are in the minority of people who choose to adopt. Since most couples adopt because they can't have children any other way, my son and his wife did not request a newborn. Wanting to keep the existing birth order in their family, they did ask for a child under three.
Anyone who has been through an adoption process or is related to someone who has knows that adoptions are expensive and enormously time consuming. Deciding to adopt a child makes a bold statement. Parents (and in some cases, siblings) are willing to pay the price to adopt a child.
In their case, two adoption agencies (the first one didn't work out), much money and three years later, the day has finally arrived.
With all the hiccups in the process, one blog entry of my daughter-in-law's was "God has a plan, God has a plan, God has a plan." Today, we know what that plan was.
In September 2008 Olivia's birth mother was in her first trimester. After giving birth to Olivia seven months later (March 2009), she left her on a doorstep. Found, she was taken to a foster home that works with our family's adoption agency.
The referral from the agency came just after Olivia's second birthday in March 2011. As soon as we all saw her picture, we knew why God allowed the delay. Everyone instantly knew that Olivia belonged to our family. She was not even born when they started the process with the first agency.
Olivia's family is in China. They picked her up today. It was such a delight to receive pictures of her with her brothers and parents.
Olivia will know she is adopted. She will know that she is loved and wanted. She will be told that she was longed-for, chosen and considered worth any price that had to be paid so she could be part of the family.
God, the Father, and God, the Son wanted, longed-for and chose to adopt those who accepted the sacrificial gift offered by Jesus Christ. Through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, He has told us that His adopted children are wanted, longed-for, chosen. He paid the highest price for each child of His: the life and death of His only begotten Son.
to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God... So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son... God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure (John 1:12, 14, Ephesians 1:5 NLT).
About Me
- Stephanie B. Blake
- As I speak internationally to English speakers as well as through an interpreter, some of my greatest joys have been speaking to groups where participation from the audience is possible. Not only do I value the input of those in my conferences, but if they are actively involved (share testimonies, participate in prayer, read Scripture aloud), it is obvious that everyone is with me. I am interested in theological study, Christian writing, historical application of Biblical principles as well as writing as a craft and the current status of the publishing industry as a whole. As a result, I find myself following blogs of those whom I have learned to trust who contribute information in those fields. It occurred to me that blogs are the internet equivalent of audience participation in a conference setting. So, this blog is a result of that discovery. As much as possible (sometimes when I travel I do not have internet access), I will be making weekly posts of how everyday life is related to what God has revealed about Himself in His Word - maintaining one focus on that most important relationship. I would welcome your participation.
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