God Loves Adoption!

I think this post is mostly for us but you may be blessed by it as well. There are two things we quickly became convinced of...1. God LOVES Adoption and Satan HATES Adoption. We constantly are reminded that the struggles we encounter are evidence of a spiritual war we are in the middle of. It's vital I remind myself that the battle is big but God is bigger and He loves and celebrates adoption! What a Mighty God We Serve!! This post is to help me remember God's love and work in our adoption so I can battle the doubt and frustration of Satan's very real involvement in the struggle. 

We've seen God walking this journey with us hand in hand. Some days are discouraging but through His grace, God grants us little bits of hope which encourage us deeply

1. Within 2 days of finding out I was loosing my job, an exciting job prospect popped up. I'm in the middle of interviewing and praying and seeing how God provides.

2. Our puzzle fundraiser went up last week and we have raised $740!!! We're blown away by the support of so many. Puzzle fundraiser will be up until all pieces are sold. 74 down 178 to go!

3. We received an email from our agency last week that said that they are not accepting any more families to the Uganda program, they've even taken down all information on their website. There is a lot of unrest in Uganda and they want to focus on the families in program now. God prompted us in January to start the adoption, our plan was to start in the fall (nothing seemed right about starting so early but we trusted and we jumped). Had we waited, we wouldn't have been able to adopt as almost all agencies have put holds on their Uganda program.

God's greatness far outweighs the struggles of adopting. We truly believe that if He has called us to adopt, He will not only provide, but sustain us in difficult and trying times. While we walk this road we cling to the deep truth found in His Word...

It is God's great pleasure to welcome us into his family through adoption. What a powerful promise that even though I don't look like him, even though I'm woven from a different fabric he sees me fully as his own. We bear his name, we bear his image. 

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.      Romans 8:14-16

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."     Galatians 4:4-6

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know him. Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 1 John 3:1-2

Because I am His, he commands me to care for his other children. Out of his great love, I am empowered to love those who others have forgotten about, abused broken, loved deeply but couldn't care for. I have his blessing in his commandment to go and do his will.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.     James 1:27 

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows-
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.   Psalm 68:5-6

"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.  Matthew 18:5 

And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world  John 11:52

Joseph adopted Jesus as his own. Jesus' family was formed through multiple adoptions. The line of Christ celebrated adoption, international adoption, family adoption. Out of those adoptions came amazing people who God empowered to be great!

Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, "I lifted him out of the water." Exodus 2:10 

This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter. Esther 2:7 

If you've stayed with us for this long...thank you. Please pray these verses over us. Help us remember the promises in these verses and in God's word. We are clinging to Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.