Adoption 101: Ready or Not?
Crazy adoption friends, I want to thank you for supporting Adoption 101 and the amazing comments and emails you leave for me to read and inspiring others to look into the crazy adventure of adoption. The advice I offer you in 101 are my own personal opinions and want to keep the door open for critique, advice, or guidance from you, too. I’m just a mom and I learn so much from your adoption journeys!
As you already know from my crazy T shirt blitz… we are starting our 2nd adoption to Ethiopia. We are completing our homestudy, (hopefully in the next couple weeks) so the subject I wanted to discuss on Adoption 101: Ready or Not is coming straight from my heart. This has been a subject that my hubby and I have prayed and talked about for weeks. Are we ready or not to start the next adoption? Our hearts are ready to go forward 1000%! We are prepared to work hard to complete the paperwork and fundraise for the cost of adoption. We love being a mom and dad… there is no question that we want to open our home and hearts for another child through the miracle of adoption.
I feel like I’m starting an adventurous hike and my backpack is packed with most of the necessary tools I need to start the journey: water bottle, snacks, extra socks, journal, band aids and flashlight. I have friends who are ready to cheer and pray and support me to the finish line. I’m a little out of shape, but I know I don’t have to run up the mountain… I can take my time and enjoy the beauty around me. However, I don’t have a new map and I understand from others the trails have changed. I see two roads ahead and I don’t know what path to take. The signs are not clear to me yet. I’m ready to start bouncing ahead full speed, but I’m starting to see warning signs pop up.
Hubby & I started talking about the reality of adoption and asking each other some really tough questions. The financial cost is enormous, but we have the faith to know God will provide all our needs. Here’s the tricky part of the journey… waiting for validation or confirmation from the Lord on His timing not our timing. We are ready to move forward with our next adoption, but is God ready for us to move forward? I read stories every day on blogs and adoption websites of the supernatural miracles for families fundraising. I weep every time I read a new miracle of how God provides the finances for adoption. We are struggling with moving forward with the process, not because of lack of faith, but responsibility. We are praying fervently for direction.
I think the question comes down to – do we stop the paperwork and concentrate on raising the funds… all of it? If we complete the dossier for an older child, most likely the referral will come quickly. Are we being responsible to surge full speed ahead with the dossier, knowing we would be lost without a paddle if we did not complete our fundraising? I trust in the Lord that He will provide in His perfect timing. I believe if He wants us to adopt, He will open doors for us financially.
I’m working so hard (you are too!) coming up with ideas and creative projects, but now facing the reality of the costs of each stage. We want to be responsible to our family, adoption agency and child waiting. I really want to know your thoughts… will you share with me any advice, wisdom and guidance? Are we ready or not?
Kari,
I can't answer the question for you, but it brought to mind the section of "Wild Goose Chase" where he talked about how so many times we as Christians are waiting on God to lead us, when sometime He is waiting on us to take that first step to show Him we trust him. That first step is always the hardest and usually seems CRAZY ( I know this first hand! 😉 )but if we trust God, we have to trust Him by acting- not just by thinking. Remember, it is God who gives us our passions and pure desires. Praying for ya sister- and CANNOT WAIT to meet you in person in July.
Carrie, thank you so much for your encouragement! Its been a thick topic with hubby and I completely understand how he is feeling. There are a few financial changes coming soon that I couldn't mention at this time, so we want to be faithful and trusting… also responsible, you know. I printed off our dossier yesterday and praying fervently that God will pave our way! Please pray for us… cant wait to meet you & give you a big crazy hug in July:)
xoxo
If any of you lacks wisdom,let him ask God,who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5
Kari – it's difficult sometimes to determine which way to go and when. Press into Him who holds the key to wisdom and your path will be made straight. Fast and Pray and your answer will be clear to you 🙂
Love ya friend!!!!
coming out of lurkdom here….
we are finally starting our first adoption…but God started opening doors (and our eyes) about 18 months ago. "life" got in the way, and through prayer, and even in the midst of my frustration, we felt that still small voice telling us to 'just trust Me'. we felt peace in not jumping in so soon, despite it not being what i really wanted to do. at all.
so now, as we're experiencing some other roadblocks (in our eyes,) we're hearing Him say 'it's time…trust Me.' i fully believe that He will guide our steps, even though i admit to even being afraid now that His time is right…when it doesn't seem like it's right in our own eyes. i really believe He wants us to take that first step (sort of like what Carrie was talking about above…)
thanks for sharing your heart. i know God meant for me to read this TODAY, as we were just slapped with another 'bump' in the road. thank you SO much.
keriann
Your comments all mean so much to me… I really need to hear from my adoption sisters right now! We are asking Him for guidance and His timing, but I need to be joyful with His purpose, especially during the "dry" periods. Its so hard to understand why our home has not sold or why things are changing to make this next process so hard. I will keep moving forward, but also willing to slow down, too. He is faithful… thank you for helping me focus on that today! Your comments made me *sniff* THANK YOU!
Some genuinely interesting info , well written and generally user pleasant.