Sunday, May 1, 2011

Conventional Wisdom

I'm sure there are some friends and family out there who are thinking that this whole adoption thing is coming at the wrong time. Alyssa and I haven't been married that long, we are still molding our family together, we are paying off debt, and adoption is kind of expensive (if you consider a $30,000 price tag expensive). Heck, I've gone around and around over these same issues. We certainly are not following conventional wisdom on this decision. It makes sense to take time to focus on the marriage. It makes sense to give the kids more attention while we are in transition. It makes sense to eliminate debt before making a very expensive life decision. Yet, when you read the New Testament, it is hard to find a command that has "when the time is right" attached to it. I fear that for many Christians the time will never be right, as there will always be circumstances that keep us from carrying out the sometimes difficult or challenging plans of God. The Bible is very clear that we are to take care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans. I don't feel like I can put those commands on the back burner any more. Yes, we have circumstances that make this adoption tough. But when did Jesus ever promise that following Him would be easy or comfortable? He actually made it very clear that we would have trouble in this life, that following Him would be demanding, and that we better count the cost before we followed Him. I look at our various circumstances and I know that God is bigger than them. I know that He blesses those who follow Him, whatever the cost. I do not doubt that He loves Kaylee more than I ever could and He is as desperate as I am to have her in a loving home. After all, God loves adoption. So, we press on towards the goal of serving Him by bringing her home. Here I stand. I can do no other.

If you are reading this, surely you care about the cause of adoption in some way.  Let me be the first to tell you that there is nothing in the world that can stop you from carrying out God's will when you are determined to do it.  And make no mistake, caring for orphans is His heart.  He makes it clear in James 1:27 that a part of pure religion is caring for the fatherless.  If we can do this, anyone can do this.  Don't let excuses and worries stop you from taking a step of faith to carry out His will.  Maybe that is adoption.  Maybe it is caring for a widow.  It might be committing some of your finances to feed the hungry.  Maybe He has a new career in mind for you that will advance His kingdom.  Take a leap of faith when He command you to do something. The time is always right to do what He wants you to do.

4 comments:

  1. I am so proud of both of you for what you are doing. You're right, if you wait until the time is right, it will never happen. We will help in any way we can.

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  2. Love the design of your blog and the sidebar, etc. Kaylee is such a doll! I'll be looking forward to following along as she comes HOME.

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  3. Thank you for your commitment to Christ and to his word, also for your commitment to his calling and that very special little girl.

    My wife and I are at the very beginning of the process, and have asked ourselves if the time is right, or if we will qualify as parents because of some of the issues in our current life and past, and have wondered whether we should be persuing this.

    Your message reconfirms that we need to go beyond all understanding as the good book says and have faith in the wisdom of God.
    Thk you!
    I would love to hearr from you personaly and hear more of your story, struggle and success. Please contaact me at
    Beachwalke1@yahoo.com
    Alan Shulver
    Myrtle Beach, SC

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  4. Everything you said is RIGHT ON and confirmed by God's Word. Thank you for taking the time to write all that out. So many of us need to hear that. Trust me when I say that if our family had waited til "the time is right" (especially meaning- "when we had the money"- four orphans would still be sitting in institutions.

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