“For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed”
-Luke 1:48
This was what Mary said when she met Elizabeth in Judah. Mary was probably 19 years old when the angel of the Lord met and proclaimed to her that she would bear the Son of God. The angel also announced that her relative Elizabeth has conceived despite her barrenness, for “with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). It is a wonderful scene where these two women meet. Elizabeth was old and barren, yet with child, while Mary was very young and pregnant without ‘knowing a man’. We see God’s hand in both these miracles that defy the natural order of things.
Most of us suffering from infertility may wonder why God is putting us through this trauma, when He can heal us ‘right away’ and make us pregnant. Well, if there’s one thing we need to know about God, it’s this: He cannot be confined in a neat box! He has many acts up His sleeve and is the sovereign God who decides how and when to answer our prayers. There are times when God will do the unexpected and take us on a path we never even dreamed of.
I believe the person who said “The longest journey of any person is the journey inward”, had a long walk with God! Our struggles with infertility can be a wonderful opportunity to get rid of all the spiritual, mental, and emotional infections and dirt that have slowed us down in our walk of faith. When we trust in, rely on, and put our confidence in the Rock of Ages, we embark on an exciting journey that will take us to the place of complete rest, peace, and joy in Christ.
God works in ways that are beyond our comprehension. Sometimes, we may not like what He has planned for us. But, if we believe that we are in His thoughts and He has good plans that give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), we will welcome any surprise He throws at us. Christian adoption may be one of the surprises God has in store for infertile couples. He knows the inborn yearning in every woman to become a mother and He understands this feeling. Adoption may be His way of meeting your need to become a mother and giving a life of comfort, security, love, and faith to a child who needs you, more than you need him or her.
For my journey to motherhood, this is exactly how God worked. I lost pregnancy after pregnancy in an attempt to become a mother the only way I knew how. When I finally received the news that a successful pregnancy was not going to be an option, I prayed that God would remove this great desire to be a mother if it was not in His plans for my life. It was then, that He opened a window in my darkest days of desperation, as if to say “Mardie, simply follow MY path for your life.” God’s path led me through an adoption journey that blessed me not only with my son, but also with the work I do today through Lifetime Adoption Center. Two miracles that would not have existed for me had I not followed God’s leading.
If you are confused about adoption or your journey to parenthood, I encourage you to spend some time today in prayer. Ask God to show you what to do and lead you in your decisions concerning adoption. Believe that one day you will have a child who will rise up and call you blessed!
