I know you probably read the title and thought, "What? Adopted twice? How can that be?" Well, I am here to say to you that, yes, I have had the privilege of being adopted two times in my life.
After my first adoption, we continued to live in the state of Indiana for almost five years. During that time, I grew as typical children do. When I was a baby, I loved to spit up on my mom after she fed me....multiple times. As I continued to grow I learned to walk and say things like "Dada." When I was a couple of years old, my parents would put me in bed and go back downstairs to watch television in the living room. Many times they would open the door to the living room to find that I had snuck out of bed, laid by the closed door and fallen asleep right there. Yeah, and there was the time I tried eating dog food.... [Okay, give me a break. They looked like little hot dogs and anyone who knows me knows that I love hot dogs!!! :)] I was a quiet kid who loved to read, play with dolls and sing in the car.
My parents, after going on deputation to go to the Philippines for a while, realized that God was closing the door. We moved several times within the state of Indiana, all in relatively the same area. My dad pastored for a while and we lived in a parsonage that was connected to the church by a tunnel and an overhead walkway. We also lived in a trailer at some point, a town house and eventually we found ourselves living in a house.
And that is when it happened....
I was adopted again.
It was the summer of 1978. I can't remember the exact date, but it was in June sometime. I was four at the time, but would soon turn 5 in August. We had gone to church that day, and I can't remember exactly what was talked about in Sunday School, but it must have been something important. I remember coming home from church that morning and telling my dad that I needed to talk with him. He took me in a separate room and it was at that time I told him that I needed Jesus. And that very day, I was adopted into God's family. Chosen for the second time.
I know that some of you may be wondering what exactly that means, so let me explain. I believe that God created the world. In the beginning, when He did that, the earth was without sin. He created Adam and Eve. In the days following in the garden, Eve was deceived by Satan and ate the fruit that God had specifically told them not to eat, and convinced Adam to eat along with her. With that first disobedience, we all inherited sin from Adam and Eve and along with that inheritance we also received the punishment of eternal death. Because God is holy, He cannot fellowship with sin, but because He loved us, He wanted to make a way that we could have a relationship with Him. That way was Jesus, His son. He sent Jesus here to earth as a man, to live a sinless, perfect life and to sacrifice himself in our place, taking our punishment and redeeming us with his precious blood. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, his blood was offered to us as a gift to accept as a salvation from our sin. But we have to make the decision to do so, and I did that day.
You may be wondering what that even has to do with my adoption story. You might think that it is something that is a bit too personal to be sharing. And what would God have to do with this whole thing anyway??
I am here to say He has had EVERYTHING to do with it. God has been a part of my life since I was a small child. My parents love God and they were always open to hearing his voice. Because of that, off and on through they years they have been involved in ministries of different types. Throughout my life, they were faithful in making sure that I went to church and that I was taught the Bible at home. Over the years I have learned how I can have my own personal relationship with Him and that He cares for me on an individual level. I have seen God work from a distance and most of all from up close. Some people see God as this huge being that is out there somewhere in a distance. I see Him as one who is up close and is in all the details of my life. My story is made up of details. As it all unfolds, you will see how the tiniest of things made some of the biggest impacts in my discoveries. You may say it is just coincidence, but I believe it is all a part of His bigger plan for me.
As this story continues to unfold, I want to make sure I give glory where it is due.
Thank you, God for everything you have done in my life. Thank you for opportunities that you have given me that I don't deserve, but am so very thankful for. Thank you for being there for me when times are hard and when times are great. But thank you most of all for loving me, choosing me and adopting me into your family.
13 you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139: 13-16
Thank you for sharing :)
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