I bring you good tidings of great joy…
Luke 2:10 The angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus with the statement of “ I bring you good tidings of great joy.” I don’t blog much but I like to give a Papa’s perspective that could help others out there know what the adoption process looks like in our on going journey. How do you go from starting the journey that seems so overwhelming to traveling to a country like Ukraine and by faith be led to the children in a small town called Ochakiv situated on the Black Sea to find children God has for you and then come home to live every day life- what does that look like? How will it unfold?
In the Christmas story in the Bible, not sure it was “great joy” when Joseph first learned that Mary was pregnant and it wasn’t his… in a sense it was one of the most important adoption decisions ever made, that Joseph would still choose to become the father to a child he had no part in bringing into the world, yet he answered the call.
There are many reasons that people adopt, I can only speak to our situation that we were called to adoption. It was made clear from confirmations and the faith journey we embarked a year ago in trusting God and exercising faith for financial needs. It seemed impossible for so many reasons, but God’s heart is to care for orphans. If you’re called to do something, then God will make a way.
Yesterday was Christmas and to say that my perspective has changed about this and other holidays is an understatement, the joy and amazement that Zhenya and Leeza have brought to things I took for granted has truly brought a “great joy”. They both have enjoyed the innocence of Christmas in a way that is a miracle – yes they want stuff, what kid doesn’t want presents, but they also have developed a spiritual awareness that has exceeded our expectation. We made it a point from day one to pray with them that started in Ukraine, I think they went along with it and were not quite sure what it was all about, but over time it has grown to where they see prayer, church, bible reading as a part of our life and family to where they participate and compete to pray at meals. From that it has grown to being able to share the story of Jesus and true reason for Christmas. To share with them that God’s love brought us to Ukraine to adopt them. On Christmas,we took them to a Russian service at People’s Church in Franklin, where they got to hear about the Christmas story in Russian.
It has now been over 3 months since we returned from the Ukraine and I am so thankful for the journey that God brought us on to adopt, how through them it has changed us in so many ways. It was an adjustment when we got home for me, it felt that I went from 24 hours in a day to 23! Some might read this and say for them it is 22, but organizing time was a harder adjustment than I realized. But when two children greet you at the door, excited to see you no matter how tired you might be, it is worth it. Zhenya has learned English so fast, it has been amazing to see him now understand concepts and read words. Leeza went from having no schooling or education, to know spelling her name, counting to 10 and saying her ABC’s. Her progress physically has been amazing- in the orphanage she could do few normal kid things – catch a ball or run, which she does now very well.
From day one we have prayed for both of them and thanked God for their healing – emotionally, physically and socially, I believe God has continued to answer prayers over their lives as we invite the Holy Spirit to work in their life. The love they both shared towards us and how we have grown as a family has been beyond what I ever expected.
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