"Adopted By Design"

This morning, Jon and I had the opportunity to do one of my absolute favorite things... talk adoption.  As we have had the privilege to do on several other occassions, we attended an America World Adoption Association seminar to share our family's personal adoption experience.  Even though we participated in a seminar just a couple weeks prior, the story NEVER grows old.  ADOPTION:  God is the author, and He is in the miracle writing business. 

Every time we serve as a speaking family, I pray that God is glorified.  I pray that He is magnified and "we" are minimized.  As I told one of the couples Jon and I spoke to individually, so often people say, "Your kids are so lucky to have you."  Wow - they have it all wrong!!!!  We are so very humbled and blessed to be afforded the opportunity and responsibility to parent these precious little ones.  We have many flaws and make tons of mistakes, yet God entrusted and gifted them to us.  Adoption is nothing that WE did - it is ALL God!  He writes the story.

I just completed Mary Beth Chapman's Choosing to See.  This book was absolutely breath-taking, gripping, raw, emotional, hilarious, heartbreaking...  REAL!  One of the things she repeated in her book was having a story to steward.  Wholeheartedly, I believe, our adoption experience is our story to steward.  God did a tremendous work within us and so many others throughout the process, in fact His fingerprints continue to appear each day, how could we possibly keep silent?  In the independent Christian church, we shy away from the word TESTIFY a lot, but from my very core, I know that I cannot keep silent about what God has done in my life through the miracle of adoption... earthly and spiritually!

As our wonderful agency has now newly coined their seminars, we truly are "Adopted by Design."  I love America World!  Their ministry, heart for orphans, dedication, and desire to serve are ever present.  We experienced it, and we consider it pure joy to direct others to their very capable and loving hands.  God writes the story, and I am thankful for the many AWAA staff God cast as both major and minor characters in ours.