Changes

Today, I have been reflecting on our adoption journey.  I have been thinking about all the changes that have occurred along the way... starting with the event that changed it all.  We went from a couple that had brought two beautiful babies into the world and was looking forward to a third to the the couple who has two beautiful boys and they would be the only ones. That was a difficult change to swallow, but God threw in a game changer. He had already been tugging at us to adopt. We had never thought it would be our only method to having more children.  We had thought it would be an additional method.  But knowing we had the option to adopt at all helped us get through the bad news. We initially thought that we would adopt an infant.  Older children didn't really seem appealing. We just wanted a sweet little newborn to raise. Who wouldn't??? Then God laid a burden on our heart for all the children that are waiting right now for a home.  They aren't newborns, and therefore they aren't as quick to find forever families for, and THAT is sad. Many of these children will eventually age out of the system without a family to call their own or a place to call home. That is heartbreaking. So here we are... exploring the possibility of adopting a child through the Heart Gallery of Alabama. It's a pretty big jump from adopting a newborn to possibly adopting an older child. Many would ask, "What changed?" Did God change His mind? No. To say that God changed His mind would be like saying that He went to Plan B. God has no Plan B. His plans are perfect and require no backups. His plan is what it has always been. His calling on our lives is what it was all along. "Help the children." He never put an age group on it.

Romans 11:29-
God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them.

Numbers 23:19-
God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

James 1:17-
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

So what did change?? Us. From the very beginning, God has been phasing the events and using them to mold us.... to CHANGE us into the people He wants us to be... into the family He needs us to be to help the child that He already has in mind for us. He has been changing our hearts and growing us in ways we cannot even explain and placing a burden on us that keeps us moving through the process with a passion.  Most people think of a burden as being a bad thing. Not so. This burden is a complete blessing, a glorious beautiful blessing. God handpicked us to be parents to two very special little boys, and now we know that He has handpicked us to be parents to some other sweet child we haven't even met yet. This burden is our hope. It is our sign gift  from God that He is working in and has special plans for our lives... that He is using us. We give Him all the glory for this. We know that the changes are far from over. Some of the best changes are yet to come: the changes that come when you bring a child into your home. We know it will take some adjustments, but we know that God has already got it covered. He is already working on it and preparing the way.

Philippians 1:6-
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

We know that God will see us through. Thank you all for your continued prayers, love and support. God bless each of you.