For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time — to show us His grace through Christ Jesus. — 2 Timothy 1:9
For the past year John and I have been praying about opening our hearts to adoption once again. For the last five months we’ve had a sibling group in mind. It’s taken time to get all the paperwork complete. There are income reports, home studies, and criminal background checks. We’ve had every part of our lives scrutinized, and the whole time we’ve been focused on one thing: those children. We pray for them by name. We are working to set up their rooms. We have their photos on our cellphones. In our minds it’s not “if ” they will be ours, but “when.”
And the thing is, these children have no idea that they’ve been chosen. They are still praying for a forever family.
Someday we’re going to be able to tell our future children the whole story of how we planned for, waited for, and prayed for them… until we could make them our own. And in God’s Word we read the whole story about us.
Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. — Ephesians 1:4
Working through this adoption, I’ve come to understand God’s love for His children even more.
We are loved. We are chosen.
And Jesus’s gift of grace allows us to have a forever home.
~ Tricia Goyer
FAITH STEP: Write down a list of twenty important moments in history, starting with creation. After each one write, “I was on His mind.” Thank Jesus for that fact.
Excerpted with permission from Mornings With Jesus 2016: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul, copyright Zondervan.
* * *
Your Turn
November is National Adoption Month! Were you adopted? What did God teach your heart about His heart through your experience of being chosen for your Forever Family? Has your family adopted a child or children? How has that changed and blessed your family? Maybe you feel called to adopt within your community or internationally or maybe you feel passionate about an orphan care community or organization. Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you about all the ways we can support and love orphans! ~ Devotionals Daily