Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption
Is it possible to be grateful for what we have, and yet still feel called to desire more in our lives? Aren’t the desires of our heart just as valid, even if we have a loving spouse, a stable home, and maybe even a child or two?
God has designed us to constantly yearn for more – it’s His will for us to answer his call when he has planted a seed in our hearts. Many adoptive parents wonder if it really is in God’s plan to welcome an additional child into their home. Many adoptive mothers feel guilt about wanting more than what God has already provided. You have your health, your career, your friends and family – and yet, something is still missing. In your heart, you know there is a child out there who is meant to be YOUR child. This need and desire is just as real as anything you could physically hold in your hand.
Yes, I believe there is a reason God puts this desire in our hearts. For example, He has designed His relationship with us to constantly want more. He doesn’t just want us to feel satisfied in our relationship with Him, but He wants us to grow, and learn, and become closer to Him. Just as in a new romance, when we first met our spouse and just couldn’t get enough time with the each other, God wants us to be that in love with him. It is possible to be completely grateful for the blessings in your life, and still want more. It is valid to be at peace with what God has provided, and still feel called to bring a baby into your family. Some women are called to be mothers through adoption – and it is up to us to take action steps to fulfill that calling.
As we go through each day, sharing His love with others, there are few ways to touch people for a lifetime. Adopting a child into our lives, our hearts, and His heavenly kingdom is actively changing a life for our lifetime and for eternity.
His plans may not be for you to adopt, but rather your actions may still fulfill His plans for a child. He may need you as an instrument to affect the lives of others.
What are you doing today and this week to move closer to God’s calling in your life? Spend some quiet time in prayer and listen for that gentle (or sometimes not so gentle) discernment. Continue your research, develop your plan for your adoption, and take the baby steps needed toward fulfilling your calling to adopt.
Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption
Stop telling God how big your storm is –
Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is.
— Unknown
Most Christians looking to adopt are not aware of the financial aspects of adoption. Domestic adoptions through public agencies are the least expensive. Adoptions through private agencies, independent sources, and international adoptions can range anywhere from $15,000 to a whopping $45,000. If you are contemplating adoption, these figures should not put you off. Why? Well, think of it as an investment – an investment in a life! Surely this cannot compare with all the other material things we save up for and purchase, such as cars and homes?
If the costs involved in adopting a child appear to be overwhelming, then ask God to provide the financial resources to help you bring home the child He has waiting for you. Jesus is a specialist in impossibilities. So, commit your finances to Him and be confident that God will provide for your financial needs. Of course, you must also work out a specific budget to understand how much you may have to pay. The costs will include adoption agency fees, facilitation fees, home study fees, and additional expenses in case of medical exams, interstate adoptions, and so on. Be sure to contact the concerned professional to get the fee schedule, additional costs, and terms of payment in writing. You may find that you will have to sell a few of your favorite items to meet the costs or scrimp and save for a few months to lessen your financial burden. But, if it will give you a lifetime of loving and protecting a child, it is worth every cent.
If God has placed the desire to adopt in your heart, you can rest assured that He will provide the means for it. As Philippians 4:6 urges, don’t worry about your finances, but praise Him and thank Him in every situation and He will bring His plans to pass.
Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
No matter where you are in your adoption journey, it is never too late to include God in your plans to bring home a baby. Even though in Mathew 18:14 Jesus is referring to the sheep that go astray, there is a remarkable message for those contemplating adoption. God does not want anyone to miss out on His free gift of salvation. Many couples question themselves on whether it is really God’s will for them to adopt. This is more so the case when they run into some problem or difficult situation in the adoption process. When things turn rough, it is human nature to doubt if we made the right decision.
God makes it very clear in the Bible that He cares for the orphans and little children. The Word of God also tells us that it is possible for us to know His will. It is God’s will that everyone should be saved (2 Pet 3:9), that we should enjoy everlasting life (John 6:39, 40), that we should be thankful (1 Thess. 5:18), and that we should be blessed through Him (1 Thess. 4:3).
Adoption can be a trying and testing process. You have to make decisions from your heart and your head. You may forget to complete an important paperwork or the birth mother may suddenly change her mind! There are many challenging situations that can crop up. Choose an adoption professional you can connect with and share a good rapport. Better yet, ask God to send you the right person to work with so that the adoption process will progress smoothly. Invite God to be a part of your adoption plans and He will help you find the child He has chosen for you.
The New King James Version., Mt 18:14 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
