You see, one of the most important people in my life is a woman who I don't even know. I don't know her name. I don't know what she looks like. I don't know a single thing about her except that once upon a time, she carried me in her womb and loved me enough to let me go. That single act has shaped my life so profoundly that I'm not even sure I could completely describe it.
Certain things define who you are, and one of the things that defines me is my adoption. As I have grown up, my adoption has helped me understand the greater thing that defines me: my identity in Christ.
You see, when I was born, I needed a family. For whatever reason, the best thing for me was not staying with my birth mother. I needed help. I needed someone to take me in and call me their own and give me all the things that I couldn't get for myself or do for myself.
I needed to be adopted.
We all need to be adopted.
We are all born into what is not best for us. Sin is not the best for us, and even though it's not best, it's what we choose over and over again, even when we don't want to. We can't be good enough or do anything to solve the sin problem in our lives.
That's where the greatest grace comes in. Jesus died, taking our punishment for the sins we committed, and through faith in him, we're offered a new life, and adopted into God's family.
This is God's plan for his people. Throughout all of Scripture, every story, every book is pointing towards Christ. It is all a giant tapestry woven together for his glory and to restore what was broken by sin.
In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 1:5)
Casey and I have talked about this truth so many times. It is dear to our hearts. We have talked about all the things that make us excited about adopting a child into our family. We value the lesson it will teach our children, that families aren't held together by flesh and blood but by love. We want our family to experience God's provision in building our family. We want to be stretched in our faith and step out not knowing what trials or hardships or waiting may come from the adoption process.
Most of all. We want to live out the gospel in a way that so closely parallels what our Savior has done for us.
Please join us. Please walk with journey with us. Pray for us. Pray for our son or daughter who God is preparing for our family. Pray for our family that the Lord would prepare our hearts for the journey, especially our children.
We'll try to keep folks updated here, and of course we'll still share pictures of our adorable children and tell the stories of the funny things they do.

4 comments:
hi, kelly (and casey and family)!
i really appreciated what you shared, i was not adopted (though at times was sure i had been!)...
feeling, for some reason or another, whether actual or perceived, that i either did not "fit in" or "belong." This is by no means to imply that anyone in my family of origin or peers in "the world" actually viewed and labeled me as unwanted" or as "damaged goods."
what i'm getting at here is that i was touched, inspired and humblrd by the way you spoke of both your own human adoption, in yhis world-- and i was especially taken with the truth of my heavenly, eternal, intentional adoption by God Himself by means of and because of His own surrendered Son, Jesus Christ. and the shedding of His Holy blood!
i will be checking in to hear what you have to say and shsre with us.
~heather hills
please overlook the errors--
i was typing one-handed in the dark!
(well, at any rate, it was very dim.)
;)
~heather
Wow, I seem obsessive, right?? :)
Buy no, in all seriousness, I have asked God to help me to remember to pray for your family as you travel through this journey toward the adoption of the child that the
LORD God has for you. I think I might have talked a lot about myself on you blog, but some thoughts were triggered that helped me understand the whole concept of our supernatural, holy adoption-- predestined, and born of GRACE! I have a friend who would benefit from this truth, presented in the way it was worded in your blog-- AND would probably really like the framed verse you have with the adoption Scripture...I think I would like to buy at least one. I think we all should buy one, not only to help contribute-- (yet for that as well, certainly)-- but also to remind all of us that we are not rejected, but ACCEPTED in the Beloved.
Thanks for listening to me go on and on with these thoughts, and I'll be praying as God causes me to remember.
~heather
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We are thrilled for you guys to follow through and act on what God has put on your hearts and not just talk about it. We will of course keep you all in our prayers. And will check back often to see how it is all "going" please let us know if there is anything else we can do for your family in addition to prayer! Love Traci and family
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