This week I have talked or emailed with THREE different families that recognize that God is tugging on their hearts concerning the plight of orphans. That's THREE new families that are considering adoption! Not to mention the others that we have talked to that have started the adoption process since following our journey to bring Macy home. I have started hearing phrases like, "Wow - look what you have started!" and "How wonderful that you were able to influence people!". But HOLD ON, folks. I am the first to admit that Jason and I deserve NO praise or glory - it is ALL God's. Does it make my heart happy that He is using our story to touch other people's lives? Heck yeah. I am MORE than happy to be a tool to help bring more of HIS children home to families. But I am VERY VERY quick to point out that the Glory is all to God.
So all this started making me think. WHAT IF we hadn't followed God's calling for our family? What would life really look like for the Humphreys if we had stayed a family of five? This is what I came up with:
1. I MIGHT be able to cook dinner without at least one child on my hip. Or back. Or shin.
2. I wouldn't be breaking up fights/"exaggerated hugs" from two toddlers.
3. My house MIGHT not look like a disaster area. Well, okay, it MIGHT still look like that. But not quite as bad.
4. Trips to the grocery store would be easier. (As in enough seatbelts in a cart for each little one.)
So all this started making me think. WHAT IF we hadn't followed God's calling for our family? What would life really look like for the Humphreys if we had stayed a family of five? This is what I came up with:
1. I MIGHT be able to cook dinner without at least one child on my hip. Or back. Or shin.
2. I wouldn't be breaking up fights/"exaggerated hugs" from two toddlers.
3. My house MIGHT not look like a disaster area. Well, okay, it MIGHT still look like that. But not quite as bad.
4. Trips to the grocery store would be easier. (As in enough seatbelts in a cart for each little one.)
5. We'd still have a retirement fund.
6. We wouldn't have ticked off some friends and family members by adopting. (Ouch. Hurts, but true.)
7. Houston would have stayed the only "baby", and probably would have been a Momma's Boy until he left for college.
8. I'd spend a lot less time at the doctor's office getting blood drawn and dropping off stool samples. (Ugh. Gross, but true.)
9. Life would be "calmer". You know, as calm as life can be with 3 little ones.
10. I wouldn't be counting, "1 2 3 4" all day long making sure I haven't lost someone. All.Day.Long.
The list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Would life be "easier"? Maybe. Would life be as rewarding as it is right now? Absolutely positively not. Macy has brought us more JOY in the past nine weeks than we could have ever imagined. But do you know what is even BETTER? The PEACE we have. The PEACE knowing that we followed what God instructed us to do. And when he said "GO", well we jumped. Jason and I aren't really wait-it-out kind of people. Who knows, maybe we are a bit impulsive. After a few weeks of feeling the tug, we literally decided one day to adopt, and the very next day started interviewing agencies. (Our reason: Give me one good reason that God DOES NOT want us to do this.) That's just how we work. Because if we would have thought too long and hard about it, Satan would have creeped in and told us all the reasons we SHOULDN'T adopt. Like it's expensive. (God provided every penny. It's His money anyway.) It's scary. (God quickly calmed those fears.) There are unknowns. (Guess what? There's unknowns with our homegrown kids as well. Thanks to our pediatrician for pointing that one out.) Maybe it's not for OUR family. (Really? They are His children. If His child Jesus was standing in front of you hungry and hurting, would you not take HIM to your home and care for Him?)
Okay...stepping down off my little soapbox now.
So when I sit back and think of the "What Ifs?". Gosh, what IF we had chosen to ignore this calling? What a HUGE missed blessing it would have been. I can't even imagine the Humphrey House without that little spunky Ethiopian running around. And WHAT IF for Macy? Well, there's a VERY good possibility, for several factors that came to light later on, that she would have NEVER left that orphanage. She could very well had stayed there until she "aged out" as a teenager and was turned onto the street. And I saw each night on those streets what young ladies do when they have no means or education to take care of themselves. And I shudder to even think.
God opened our eyes, and OH am I so glad He did. He held us responsible to act, and WE are the ones that received the blessings. This week I came across this verse, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46) - and GEESH! That hit home!
And no, I am NOT trying to GUILT anyone out there for not adopting. All I am saying is that if God's already tuggin' at your heart for the plight of orphans, you may want to listen to that tug. 'Cause He's not gonna stop tuggin'. And we are praying for those of you who are processing all of this. And we are THRILLED for those of you who have told us you are acknowledging that tug. And we REJOICE for those kiddos that are going to find out, "You have a family coming for you". (Can you even imagine being a child, thinking you'd NEVER have a family, and hearing that?!?! Goosebumps!) Because if Jason and I had listened to our OWN reasons, well, look what we'd be missing:
6. We wouldn't have ticked off some friends and family members by adopting. (Ouch. Hurts, but true.)
7. Houston would have stayed the only "baby", and probably would have been a Momma's Boy until he left for college.
8. I'd spend a lot less time at the doctor's office getting blood drawn and dropping off stool samples. (Ugh. Gross, but true.)
9. Life would be "calmer". You know, as calm as life can be with 3 little ones.
10. I wouldn't be counting, "1 2 3 4" all day long making sure I haven't lost someone. All.Day.Long.
The list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Would life be "easier"? Maybe. Would life be as rewarding as it is right now? Absolutely positively not. Macy has brought us more JOY in the past nine weeks than we could have ever imagined. But do you know what is even BETTER? The PEACE we have. The PEACE knowing that we followed what God instructed us to do. And when he said "GO", well we jumped. Jason and I aren't really wait-it-out kind of people. Who knows, maybe we are a bit impulsive. After a few weeks of feeling the tug, we literally decided one day to adopt, and the very next day started interviewing agencies. (Our reason: Give me one good reason that God DOES NOT want us to do this.) That's just how we work. Because if we would have thought too long and hard about it, Satan would have creeped in and told us all the reasons we SHOULDN'T adopt. Like it's expensive. (God provided every penny. It's His money anyway.) It's scary. (God quickly calmed those fears.) There are unknowns. (Guess what? There's unknowns with our homegrown kids as well. Thanks to our pediatrician for pointing that one out.) Maybe it's not for OUR family. (Really? They are His children. If His child Jesus was standing in front of you hungry and hurting, would you not take HIM to your home and care for Him?)
Okay...stepping down off my little soapbox now.
So when I sit back and think of the "What Ifs?". Gosh, what IF we had chosen to ignore this calling? What a HUGE missed blessing it would have been. I can't even imagine the Humphrey House without that little spunky Ethiopian running around. And WHAT IF for Macy? Well, there's a VERY good possibility, for several factors that came to light later on, that she would have NEVER left that orphanage. She could very well had stayed there until she "aged out" as a teenager and was turned onto the street. And I saw each night on those streets what young ladies do when they have no means or education to take care of themselves. And I shudder to even think.
God opened our eyes, and OH am I so glad He did. He held us responsible to act, and WE are the ones that received the blessings. This week I came across this verse, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46) - and GEESH! That hit home!
And no, I am NOT trying to GUILT anyone out there for not adopting. All I am saying is that if God's already tuggin' at your heart for the plight of orphans, you may want to listen to that tug. 'Cause He's not gonna stop tuggin'. And we are praying for those of you who are processing all of this. And we are THRILLED for those of you who have told us you are acknowledging that tug. And we REJOICE for those kiddos that are going to find out, "You have a family coming for you". (Can you even imagine being a child, thinking you'd NEVER have a family, and hearing that?!?! Goosebumps!) Because if Jason and I had listened to our OWN reasons, well, look what we'd be missing:
And that Little Stinker is worth every single drained retirement fund, every fight/"exaggerated hug" I break up, every person we've ticked off, and EVERY single hectic day. And to even THINK we could have missed this blessing! Oh how thankful we are!
I appreciate posts like yours -- God has been "tugging" at my heart for over 2 years now to adopt an older child (7-10 years old). I am a prayer warrior that God will soften my husband's heart to make his "heart break for what breaks HIS". As of now, he continuously uses the phrase of "we can't afford it". And of recently, he told me to never mention it again and if it was that important to me, I had to choose adoption or him. My heart is heavy and breaks daily for these children. I have had struggles recently with my faith in that God wants this for us - but am trying to remain a faithful servant.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I wish I had an email to respond to the above comment, but all I have is a "no reply" address. But just in case you check back here. I want you to know that as soon as your comment came through I started praying for you. I've talked with MANY women who's husbands aren't "on board" yet. Just continue praying for God to soften his heart. And pray for YOUR strength as you continue with this struggle. I am covering you both in prayer!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post
ReplyDelete