Obedience

"Dear Friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

Doug and I have discussed adoption over several years. Perhaps this is your story too. Why adopt? Why adopt older, international, or siblings? What about if they have a difficult start that disrupts your family? What about the cost? Don't you want to enjoy your retirement? What about... college, orthodontics, weddings, vacations, comfort, security, an easy life... Can we attach and bond with them. What if they break our hearts? What if we never love them? How will it change our family? Will others accept them? Are we crazy? What does God say about adoption?

We have wrestled with all these questions or have had people ask us about them. For me it was through prayer my life was changed. I prayed for the Lord to open my eyes and let me see the world they way He does. My heart was broken for the need for families for all of God's children. God gave us the desire to do what pleases him. What does God say about widows and orphans? If you want to check out some scriptures look at the following;
God adopts Us--Romans 8:15, Gal 4:5 and Eph 1:5
God commands us to care for Deut. 24:17, Isaiah 1:17, James 1:27, Romans 12:13
God promises us he knows them Psalm 139:13-15
He sees them Psalm 10:14
He has compassion on them Psalm 68:5-6
He defends them Psalm 10:18
He will come to them John 14:18

In a blog named the Abba Fund(http://abbafund.wordpress.com/) Bob Ewoldt wrote the 5 Reasons Christians should adopt;

1. The problem is huge
2. Christians value human life
3 We bring glory to God
4. We have a huge impact
5. We imitate Christ

I would add number 6, we are being obedient. The decision to adopt came down to obedience to God's will for us. We had many affirmations of God's plan for us, through prayer, other Christians words for us as a result of prayer, scripture and eventual PEACE. Some of the barriers that were the largest for us were fear and discomfort. Do you see tools of the enemy here. We are comfortable with 3 kids and the place we are in life, mostly coasting along enjoying our comfortable existence! A useful way to seek God's whispers in our life is of course in scripture and prayer in having a relationship with our Creator and Author of our life, but also in the feelings we are given. Feelings of peace or lack of. Another way is to see how does this decision look like from a worldly perspective. Does the expense of international adoption of 2 adolescent girls with difficult histories that may make for difficult futures, who speak no English who will cost a lot to raise and will expose layers of my heart to pain as they mature and overcome issues of abuse, neglect, racism, abandonment, rejection, hunger, who will change the dynamics of my family resulting in less resources of time and money for my biological kids, to have to defend our decision to family, friends and strangers make sense to our world outside of God? Mostly no, it sounds like from a worldly point of view to be upside down. In faith it sounds like a God thing to do! I do not know which topic is discussed more in scripture, caring for widows and orphans or obedience to God. "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15