Our adoption journey actually began with discussions prior to being married. During the course of our time getting to know each other and in dating, the discussion of future family dreams and hopes was one of our points for discussion. Both of us spoke about a desire to adopt at some point if the Lord would open the door.
After our marriage, we learned that Michelle’s autoimmune kidney disease was not reacting to the medication as positively as we had hoped. This meant that we were unable to attempt to have biological children. However, due to our joint desire to pursue adoption, we took this as God’s sign for us to begin building our family through adoption. We traveled to China two years later to meet our son, Elijah. The Lord taught us many lessons as a part of that adoption process. We learned firsthand the struggles that accompany building an attachment and the thrills of being parents. Unfortunately, during this same time we learned that Michelle’s medication was still not working as we had hoped and.
All this meant, that God was closing the door on biological children for us, but also graciously granting us a huge heart for continuing to pursue adoption. In 2019, we were thankful to be matched with a second son and were planning to travel to complete the process in the summer of the following year. Unfortunately, Covid struck before any of these plans could become reality and the country we were matched with has still not granted permission for families to complete their adoptions.
After many years of waiting, praying, and continuing to advocate, we made the decision to pursue a third adoption process, all the while keeping the second one active in the hope that one day it might be possible to finalize. Through this process, we have seen the Lord open doors we weren’t sure would be open and graciously direct us to this particular program. We continue to be thankful and amazed by His guidance in this process.
We have seen the Lord teach us many things through the process of adoption. Each of our three processes has taught us about the nature and character of God in a depth and richness that would not have been the same otherwise. Our first adoption taught us a lot about what it means that God adopts us into His family. It taught us about His patience, His care, His tender mercies each day. Our second process taught us about patience, waiting on God’s timing, and trusting Him even when it seemed to have all fallen apart. Our current process has taught us to follow God’s leading, to lean into His faithfulness, to be open and willing, and to rest in His sovereignty.
