This series was originally posted for Adoption Month.
Five of our children came from the foster care system, and most of their stories were included in my book, Stepping Stones Along My Journey. When it was published, I thought that chapter had come to an end. Little did I know God had another plan. As this new chapter unfolded I shared bits and pieces of it on my personal blog...the good, the bad and the ugly! I've taken some of these book excerpts and blog entries and created a series of posts.
Parts of our story may not be particularly encouraging to anyone hoping foster care is a quick path to adoption, but it does have a happy ending, and more importantly, it's a story of how God works in our lives, using his word and the preaching of his word to direct us...sometimes in the most unexpected ways!
Foster care has been a huge part of our lives and our adoption journey.
Five of our children came from the foster care system, and most of their stories were included in my book, Stepping Stones Along My Journey. When it was published, I thought that chapter had come to an end. Little did I know God had another plan. As this new chapter unfolded I shared bits and pieces of it on my personal blog...the good, the bad and the ugly! I've taken some of these book excerpts and blog entries and created a series of posts.
Parts of our story may not be particularly encouraging to anyone hoping foster care is a quick path to adoption, but it does have a happy ending, and more importantly, it's a story of how God works in our lives, using his word and the preaching of his word to direct us...sometimes in the most unexpected ways!
Excerpts from my book:
How We Came To Foster Care and Adoption
I truly believe that when God closed the door to us having more biological children he opened the door to us fostering and adopting; that this is the plan that he had for our lives, and that he put the desire in our hearts to raise other people's children as our own. He has blessed us far beyond what we could have imagined, but he has brought us through some difficult times too. He never promised us that it would be easy or that everything would always go the way that we think it should. Our Lord allows difficulties in our lives that we may grow nearer to him.
Precious In His Sight
We need not look to third world countries for lost and needy children; there are so many right here in our own neighbourhoods. Some have never experienced love, warmth, or security. Most have no idea that there is a God who loves them. They have been hurt and neglected by the very people they look to for all of their care. They come to us with so many needs that it can be overwhelming. But no matter how seemingly unlovable and difficult they may be, they are still precious in God's sight.
Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love Never Fails
Having experienced parenthood through both birth and adoption, I know that there truly is no difference in the depth of love I have for my children. It doesn’t require an umbilical cord to form an attachment to a child. In order to become Mom to some of my children, I had to endure many more months of waiting than I did with my pregnancies. The time and effort required have only served to strengthen the bond I have with them.
Matthew 10:8b freely ye have received, freely give.
1 Corinthians 13:7,8a Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:
Continued....Part 2 Beginning Our Foster/Adoption Journey
Follow us on our Facebook page: Living Our Lives Well
Nice. Our best friends did foster care and adopted 2.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. I love the saying that an umbilical cord was not required to form the love you have in your heart for your children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Sunshine. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
DeleteThat’s great Belinda! It’s not an easy way to go about adopting, but so worth it!
ReplyDeleteMy older sister adopted four foster kids, and we love them just as much as the two biological ones!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and poems! Thank you for your kind heart and desire to adopt.
ReplyDelete