Jesus was ADOPTED
I've been mulling over this post for a few weeks now. After watching the Nativity Story movie, Jay and I had a conversation about a reality that hit us during this film. Jesus was adopted....Jesus was adopted!!! Joseph was called by God to be the father of a child that was not his own biologically. Yet Jesus had many character traits that mimicked Joseph's, and was raised a carpenter because Joseph was a carpenter. What a comfort to adopted children! What a confirmation to us as adoptive families. Here is an portion of an article I read about the subject:


In a culture captivated by the spirit of Herod, could it be that God is calling our churches to follow the example of Joseph? This might mean a battalion of new church-sponsored crisis pregnancy centers, able and equipped to provide an alternative for confused young women who might otherwise listen to the slick but deadly propaganda of the Planned Parenthood profiteers. It may mean pastors prophetically calling on Christians to oppose the abortion culture by actually rescuing babies through adoption. It will mean Christian parents willing to open their hearts and their homes to unwanted infants -- infants that Planned Parenthood would like to see carried out with the medical waste. It might mean that, next year, there will be one more stocking at the chimney at your house -- a new son or daughter who escapes the abortionist's knife to find at your knee the grace of a carpenter's Son.We often talk about how WE are adopted by God the Father through Christ. But we rarely talk about how Jesus was adopted by Joseph, and the "sacrifice" it was for Joseph to marry Mary and "adopt" this baby who wasn't conceived by him.


If you watch the Nativity Story, they do a great job of developing this part of the story:There's one scene of a lady reading their palms, she looked at Joseph, and said something to the effect that there is no greater joy than to see yourself in your child. Joseph and Mary look at one another with a solemn yet peaceful and trusting look - one that understands this child will not "look" like Joseph because he does not have Joseph's DNA. YET, by God's design, Jesus' roots are from the line of Joseph.

Adoption.

Is God calling YOU?

Thankful!!!!

We have been so blessed to have received TWO gifts this week from the Irelands towards our adoption expenses!! One was from Drew's office..they gave us a gift in honor of him for his Christmas present! The other was from Robin and Drew themselves. We love this sweet family so much and although we have known them less than a year, we know we will be friends for many years to come. The Lord orchestrated our meeting them and it has been such a blessing to get to know them and their girls....we have gleaned so much from them already! We love you!

Merry Christmas, Sweet Girl!

Ashley,
Right now it is Christmas morning in China!! Merry Christmas, Sweet girl! We are praying that you are celebrating with the children in your orphanage and look forward to the day when we can share the real meaning of Christmas with you....the miracle of the birth of the baby Jesus! We can;t wait to have our first Christmas with you and show you how we make cookies for Santa and camp out on Mommy and Daddy's floor all night long! Mommy believes that the Lord told her that you would be HOME for Christmas next year and she is BELIEVING GOD for this miracle! We love you so much and you are on our hearts and minds this season, as always. May God protect you and keep you warm and healthy this winter..it gets REALLY cold there in China! Just wait, the winter here is warm in south Georgia! We love you!
Daddy, Mama, Avery, Ally and Annalyse

Home Study almost over...

Our third visit was today. One more and we're done!!! Hopefully things will be complete by the second week of January and we can send it off to USCIS in Atlanta......Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas - Third Day

You have got to listen to these lyrics...wow, talk about tears!!

Our Family

Ashley,

You are loved so much by your sisters already! Avery drew this picture at school last week and it had me crying in the carpool line! She said she didn;t want you to feel left out, even though you weren;t here with us yet. I pray that she is always that protective of you! Ally says that she has a baby in her tummy and it's coming from China :) You are going to have SO SO much fun with your sisters one day soon. We have lots of fun "girl" toys for you to play with and lots of dress up clothes! You are loved!

I'm official!

I recently applied for my passport and was told it could take up to eight weeks until it arrived...as I was walking out of the post office that day, I said, "Lord, we need that passport for our dossier, so we really would like it in 4 weeks if possible...."

It came TODAY. TWO weeks after I applied for it!!!!!

God is the God of surprises and the impossible! I have been reading so much lately about obedience...and I need that reminder all the time. God doesn;t want us to ask how, why, where and when..He just asks us to be obedient to what He has called us to do. When I finally release the control and let Him be HIM, things go so much smoother (duh?). People think we are crazy. Why not just have another kid? Why China? Why not be a foster parent? Isn;t that SO expensive? Because we are being obedient. Because Ashley is in China. Because that's not what God told us to do. Yes, God is taking care of the bills.

Adoption can be a lonely road (and is) for the most part. You can't imagine the emotions unless you are going through it. You can't understand the highs and lows. It's a struggle of faith, endurance, grief and obedience all rolled into one. Adoption is a God thing. It is His design.

Where was I? Oh, yeah..the passport. My picture is terrible.

Isaiah 43:5

"Do not fear for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west."

Home Study underway!

This AM we had our first "official" home visit (FINALLY!) It was really easy and I cleaned the entire house only for her to come in, go to the kitchen table, talk for awhile, and leave! Oh, well, the house is clean and I don;t have to worry about it being a disaster again for at least um, two hours!? Seriously, we are very excited as this is really the only thing other than USCIS clearance, that we need to complete our dossier! We should be finished with all 4 visits by Christmas! Next visit is next Wednesday.