The Young Family Farm »

You never cease to amaze me. I am not eloquent – but my heart aches to express itself the way you just did! I have been struggling with how to answer that exact question – we live in an area that is not particularly adoption/giving/others oriented. Our family and close friends are extremely supportive, but I am been struggling with all the other responses that we get – why, don’t you have enough, where is the money coming from, why don’t you just write a check, you are taking a baby from its mother?, etc… Andrea – it is amazing to me how you are constantly writing exactly what is in my heart. would you mind if I used this post on my blog? and I wanted to tell you – the cd that you sent – Our God is so big – only He could have had you choose that one, the one that included my life verse (Isaiah 40:31):) seeds of encouragement. I know that He just smiling at me – thinking “yep, my daughter, I know what you need and when you need it!” our Awe-inspiring God!!!

As we are preparing to embark on the adoption journey nothing has been more shocking to me than people’s reactions. I read several adoption blogs, and I’ve never read about people, namely Christians, responding so bizarrely to adoption. Typically after I tell someone we are hoping to adopt our next child I get one of the following answers:
“Why?”
“Isn’t that expensive?”
“Doesn’t that take a long time?”
The most disappointing thing is these are CHRISTIANS responding this way! Yes, it’s expensive. So is a new car, and that rarely stops anyone. Yes, it will take a long time. So does pregnancy. Why?
Well, there are somewhere around 147 million orphans in the world and I have love in my heart and empty beds in my house. Add to that the little fact that we are commanded to care for orphans and widows.
Phew. Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone.

Beautiful, inspired words. Encouragement for me today as we journey through a risk adopt. Not all understand why we would expose ourselves to the risk of possible heartbreak at the end. The answer is that God called us to this and we listened. We trust and we are blessed now and forever regardless if the outcome is favorable in human eyes. In God’s eyes all will be well and our souls will be blest.

Thank you for pouring out your heart to encourage us. I can’t wait to read your inspiring journey to Isaac. You have always been connected with his birthmother.

Speechless, once again. =) I witnessed 16 people from Hindu upbringing accept Christ today through Baptism!! I saw a man about the age of my father raise his hands to Heaven upon exiting the baptismal rejoicing in his New Life with Christ. Tears are still pouring from me with joy and love. I came home after an emotional – positive – exhilarating service to read your beautiful post. God is every where, working in the lives of sooo many. I am thankful to be surrounded by God’s beauty every where I turn. Thank you, Lord, for the new believers and for all the adoptive families, for the birth moms’ who trust in You, for the children who are under Your care to start anew wrapped in Your glory through adoption. Thank you, Andrea, too, for shinning your light and giving a voice. Hugs.

I think about and pray for my girls’ birth moms every day. And wonder how very different life would be for all of us if their birth moms would have made the decision to parent them.

Andrea, you are such a blessing. I guess my biggest challenge was to convince people that I was Sam’s real mommy. No, I did not give birth to him, a very brave 17 year old girl did that. She is his birth mother. I am now and will forever be his mommy even though he didn’t grow in my womb. Sam was grown in my heart and only God could place him there. So, even though he has a birth mother, he couldn’t be any more mine if I had given birth to him myself. Isaac is yours and has been part of God’s plan for you from the very beginning. I can’t wait for you to hold him in your arms and give him the love that only a mommy (birth or adopted) can give him. I love you and am praying for you daily!