To begin this blog, I'd like to welcome you. Welcome to the story of our family as we begin the process of adoption. This is an exciting time for Blake and me (and Reese- she just doesn't know it yet), and we are equally excited to share this journey with you.
Some of you may be wondering how we decided to adopt, so I'll give you a bit of background to begin. Blake and I talked about adoption from the time we were dating. I have two adopted siblings and Blake comes from a home where his parents often housed peopled in need of parents. So, the idea was nothing new to either of us, and we were excited to one day adopt children of our own.
Over the past few years, God has graciously increased our compassion to care for the orphans both locally and globally in both big and small ways. He also has been teaching us about our own adoption story through His Word and through books like Russel Moore's, Adopted For Life. Throughout this adoption journey, Blake and I would like to focus on a few passages of scripture. The first is Ephesians 1:3-10.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth (Ephesians 1:3-10).
Growing up I was taught a song about Jesus. Someone would sing, "Oh Molly do you love Jesus?" and I would reply singing, "Why yes I love Jesus!" They would then say,"Tell me why you love Jesus." And I would reply "I'll tell you why I love Jesus: because He first loved me."
This song has been on my mind as we begin the process of adoption. You may ask why we are adopting. And the answer echos that childhood song: because He first adopted us. This is not an act of charity. This is not a humanitarian deed. This is purely spiritual.
So, welcome friend. Welcome to the journey of two sinners trying desperately to do for one child what has been perfectly done for us. We cannot wait to welcome that child into our family. We cannot wait to give that child our surname, officially declaring him no longer an orphan. Until then, we will pray. So please, join us in prayer as we earnestly await the day when we can bring our child home, forever.
