That's what comes to my mind as I think of Ken and Rachael's adoption process. There is a stunning thread of love woven through each day of their long, hard journey. Each step of the way, God was bringing about His beautiful loving purposes for their adoption journey, though in many moments His hand was imperceptible.
When they got started with their adoption, they were hopeful that their story would be like many other families who use adoption consultants: fast and smooth. But it wasn’t. The road to their baby took incredible endurance. It was filled with an unusually long, unexplainable wait despite their very open hearts towards the many potential situations that came their way. Again and again they presented their profile to expectant mamas and again and again, they heard the difficult answer, “ no.” Months turned to a year and more months of waiting until finally a long desired match came. But that situation ended without the baby coming home to them. And then more months of agonizing wait. More months of fighting to hope in God and fighting to believe that He was not done with their adoption story. Nothing was easy. Nothing was fast. Nothing was the way they’d envisioned. But love was at work; God's love and the love they had for the baby who would come into their family remained constant.
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 ESV)
I prayed along with them, questioned what in the world God was up to, asked the rest of the CAC staff to pray for them, and waited for love to win the day. They continued to believe that God had led them to adoption and they fought to keep hoping in Him.
And then one afternoon in May, Ken and Rachael saw a glimmer of hope. They had been chosen by a brave expectant mama who was due later that month. They cautiously stepped forward in faith, hesitant to fully invest their hearts after what they’d already endured, yet wanting to trust Him.
At the end of May, their beautiful daughter was born. A surprising twist in their story came with her birth as it was discovered that their daughter has unexpected complex health issues that will require lifetime care. This was not what they had envisioned when they started their adoption journey, but they did not waver. God gave them faith to move forward anyway, by his grace. They knew that this was their daughter. They knew that God had led them to her and they were absolutely committed to her, come what may. They fiercely loved her immediately.
This beautiful, happy little girl’s life is truly a testimony to the unending love of God that does not fail. He sustained Ken and Rachael through the excruciating wait, enabling them to keep hoping in Him rather than giving up and walking away from adoption. He poured out His grace to help them keep enduring all the way until she was in their arms. And His love is sustaining them as their family transitions into life with a precious medically fragile little one who is fiercely loved.
During all of those months when we were wondering what He was up to, God was at work, lovingly bringing this little girl into a family that can care for her and support her. One look at this little girl's face will tell you that His love never fails!
Please join me in praying for these friends of mine as they continue to care for their little girl and her many needs.
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Please contact me for more information about adoption. I'd love to help!
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