Adopted

Adopt. [verb]
To legally take another’s child and bring it up as one’s own.

Today’s post is one that is near and dear to my heart. Adoption is something that has impacted my life in so many amazing ways… My mom was adopted as a baby when her young, unmarried birth parents decided to offer her a better life than the one they could give her. My grandma wasn’t able to have children which is why she and my grandpa pursued adoption. They took in my mom and uncle and loved them as their own children. They raised them. Gave them a roof over their heads. Nurtured and cared for them. And provided them with a life my mom and uncle may not have had otherwise. 

Because my mom’s birth parents decided to continue with the pregnancy and put my mom up for adoption, I have a mom. Because my grandparents had the desire to raise a family and pursued adoption, my siblings and I are here. 

Sometimes that blows me away… I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for adoption! 

And on my first date with Isaac when we were just talking about our lives and sharing pieces of random facts about ourselves, we realized that we had more than just running in common. His mom was also adopted.
Y’all.
Because of adoption I have my husband.
Wow.

I’ve always wanted to adopt a child, because I was able to see what an impact it had on my mom, uncle and mother-in-law’s lives. Isaac and I have talked about it off and on throughout our years together, and if the Lord ever calls us to adopt, we won’t even hesitate to do so! And as I’ve gotten older and as God has revealed His truth to me more and more, I’ve come to look at adoption differently than I used to. It’s not just simply “legally taking in another’s child and bringing it up as one’s own”. It is SO MUCH more than that. 

Yes, adoption is graciously opening your home to a child, giving of yourself, and loving them as if they were own flesh and blood. Raising them in a home they might not have had otherwise. Nurturing, caring and providing for them. But more so than that, adoption is a beautiful representation of what God has done to me through Christ. I am adopted. I was taken from a life of darkness and sin, and brought into new life in the Lord. I am an heir in Christ. Loved unconditionally. And given the promise of a future I would not have had on my own. 

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace. 
Ephesians 1:5-6a

Just as marriage is a representation of Christ and the Church, adoption is an amazing picture of what God has done to us through Jesus’ death on the cross. He took sinners that were separated from Him and brought them to himself. We were once dead in sin but now we’re alive in Christ. All praise be to God! The Lord adopted us into His family because of His great love and mercy. 

I am adopted. 

Maybe not by the world’s standards, but I am. I am adopted into the family of Christ. How utterly humbling and amazing that is! 

So as you can see, today’s post is near and dear to my heart. I love adoption. I have seen SO many families changed by it. So many lives saved. And so many people brought out of sin and into glory because of adoption. And when I heard that one of my sweet friends from high school is hoping to adopt a little baby, I grinned from ear to ear. 

The Mather family has yearned to start a family for years. They have prayed endlessly for the Lord to grow their family. They took in a foreign exchange student. Have loved on high school students every single week. And trusted that God would someday, somehow fulfill the desire they had to raise a family. 
And now that moment has come! 

After a lot of prayer, research and trust in the Lord, Jordan and Cody have decided to pursue a domestic infant adoption. And I am so happy for them!
Seeing a family give a sweet baby a home to grow up in and the same chance in life that my mom, uncle and mother-in-law were given makes my heart swell. Jordan and Cody are some of the most genuine, caring and Christ-like people I know. Cody is the youth pastor at a church in Tennessee. Jordan works with the girls in the youth group, runs a fitness group and has a super cute blog.  But most of all, they are on fire for the Lord and that is seen in everything they do. 

Especially this adoption! 

Seeing one of my dear friends on a journey like this is so awe-inspiring. I can’t imagine how hard it is to go through this. All the paperwork. The home visits. The waiting. The praying. Aaand the raising money. 
Which is why I want to help them! Hopefully by sharing their story here, others can hear their testimony and feel called to help. On their adoption page, you can read more about their story and how you can pray or even donate money to help them out. And, for just a few more days they are raising money by partnering up with The Key to Missions! They are selling some adorable necklaces that say “adopted” on them, and $5 from every purchase will go towards the Mathers. How cool is that?

So as I’ve said a few times… Today’s post is near and dear to my heart. Adoption is so amazing, and I am blessed to know and see so many lives changed by it.

If you want to learn more about the Mathers, you’ll love this video about their adoption journey! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ZUuS50NEI

To God be ALL the Glory! 
Soli Deo Gloria!