God has called us to adopt, there is no doubt about that. In fact He chose adoption for us. We knew we always wanted to adopt but at first we did not pursue it, until God made it evident that this is what He had for us. Since the beginning this journey has had a great cost. We have paid for this decision. And I'm not just talking money here. We have paid with our time, our emotions, our prayers, our hearts. It has cost more than money. It has required endurance, strength, faith, trust, patience...and it has hurt. But you can be sure that it holds value to us. Our children hold value, not in anyone else's eyes necessarily, but in ours. That someone in their high state (jobs, friends, family, wealth) would spend themselves, give everything, to find a child who has been cast out, pushed aside and look on them with such value, is just the heart that Jesus has shown us. And this is where the gospel comes in. Jesus paid for us, dearly. He paid with his time, emotions, prayers and heart; but ultimately He paid with His life. He saw us in our lowly state, meaningless and desperate. We have nothing of worth to offer Him, nothing but to love Him back. But yet He sees us, he works for us, he longs for us, he pays for us with His life. All so he can have us, so we can be His sons and daughters, so He can be our Daddy. Because in His eyes we hold such a high value. He would give anything for us. Our Ethiopian adoption story is just a fraction of the adoption story of Jesus.
You see adoption is not second to having a biological baby. It is just different. It's a choice that requires a high cost. It's a choice that will be painful, expensive, exhausting, and frustrating... but it is also a choice that is full of joy, hope, trust, faith and love; if you choose it to be.
Just when we feel like giving up, Jesus reminds us of the price He paid for us. My children hold a high value to me, they are worth fighting for in my eyes. I could quit, I could turn my back or take an easier way out, but I'm not willing to let them go. Just like Jesus has never been willing to let me go.
Adoption is also about redemption, to take someone out of their lowly state and offer them everything you have. To look at them and not only tell them, but show them, their value. This is what Jesus has done for us. He redeemed us. In our sinful state he offered us Himself. He offered us eternal life. When we least deserved it, He gave himself as payment on our behalf. He paid for all we did wrong with His life and then He offered us a seat beside Him on His throne.
Adoption is close to God's heart because He adopted us. There is something beautiful in not caring where your child is from, what they have done, whose genes they carry or what they look like. It is simply about choosing to love, to pick them up and to value them so highly that you would pay the price; whatever that price may be.
And just to lighten the mood a little (things just got a little serious haha), some pictures of my latest project!
This is the quilt I made for our future child. I had a professional long arm quilt it, which means do all the square design stitching. I even hand stitched the binding on, which took about 5 hours.
I had so much fun making this quilt. Arnie helped me make a huge pattern out of paper so I could have my own original design and he also helped me pick the long arm quilt design. Now all I need is a little one to snuggle up in it!
