Adoption

My small group from my church is reading an absolutely wonderful book by John Owen called Communion with God. The chapter we discussed last Sunday night centered on our adoption as believers into the family of God, by the great work of Christ, and the great privileges we are now entitled to because of this adoption. Owen explains how this great work of adoption has its source in the love of the Father and how "Adoption is the authoritative transfer of a believer, by Jesus Christ, from the family of the world and Satan into the family of God with his being admitted into all the privileges and advantages of that family." The similarities that exist between our heavenly adoption and the earthly adoption of a child into a new family is quite evident and serve as a beautiful picture of what the Father has done on our behalf. Our adoption into the kingdom of God is a great miracle which we have no part in. It is indeed a miracle that God sees fit to transfer one, so corrupted and defiled, into his pure and holy kingdom. O what manner of love is this!

What I would like to submit to you today is a beautiful picture of earthly adoption from the mother of a family that adopted one of my family's foster babies (Natalie) the early part of last year. This precious family had just completed two somewhat simultaneous adoptions (Carlos and Jeremiah) when they received a call from Life Choices saying their profile had been selected and they would be receiving their third child (Natalie). Shortly after settling into life as the parents of three young children they found out that miracle number four (Baby Ben) was on the way, from the womb of a mother that was once thought barren! Wow! What follows is her precious thoughts regarding having three adopted children and now one biological child. Praise God that when he looks at us as believers he sees us, through the blood of Christ, as his children, regardless of where we came from or how we came to him. The ONLY condition to be adopted to His family.... we come through faith in Christ. Praise God for the miracle of adoption!

Thoughts on DNA

I’ve been thinking about DNA for a few months now….wondering if it really makes that much of a difference. Does having a child who shares your DNA make that child more “yours”? Does it make you love him more? Will you feel differently about him? Will you look at him and say, “you are mine because we share DNA”. I’ve been thinking about this all during my pregnancy with Ben and I was going to write about it, but I decided to wait and see….I had an idea, a theory, but I decided to wait and see what my reality was.

When I look at each of my children I see four miracles. Miracles that only God could create. A family tapestry that only God could envision. Each of my children, Carlos, Jeremiah, Natalie and Ben are a true miracle.

When I see Carlos I see a child who endured poverty, neglect and more, but what shines out from his eyes is his radiant spirit, his tender heart and love for life. I see a little boy who jumps out of bed each morning with a zest for the day. The miracle of
Carlos is that God chose him for our family. And God provided all we needed for Carlos to come home.

When I see Jeremiah I see our first child….because he was our first child and our only child for a whopping 10 days!! I see a miracle boy who would not have survived past a month old. I see a little boy who’s personality is just like mine. He is the miracle baby we waited years to love and call our own.

When I see Natalie I see my daughter. God used the miracle of time…a very small amount of time. I never dreamed I would hold a little girl in my arms less than 10 weeks after starting the paperchase for her adoption. God’s time is always perfect….He’s never early and never late….Natalie proves that!! What a beautiful gift God granted our family in Natalie.

And when I see Ben I also see a miracle. The miracle that God knit him together perfectly in my womb. God granted us a first-born-fourth-child, something I never thought I would experience.

I heard someone say recently that they didn’t think that they could love someone else’s child as much as their own. And I couldn’t agree more. But I’m not loving someone else’s child when I look at my blessings….I’m loving my children. Yes, they joined our family in different ways, three through the miracle of adoption and one through the miracle of birth, but each belong to our family. So does DNA matter? Not to me! I love my four miracles….and they are mine for a short time on loan from God.

From: http://www.xanga.com/HouseOfSmooches