It's not plan B!!!!

This morning, Jeremy and I had the wonderful privilege of going to an adoption/foster care seminar at our church. Our friends, Jason and Shawnda Kovacs led the charge. They did an outstanding job of leading us through the scriptures to show us God's heart for orphans. James 1:27 "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, and the Father, is this:to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." PURE RELIGION is to care for orphans and widows. Have you ever thought that was what pure religion is???? I never have before.

As we unpacked the Word and saw God's heart for orphans, Jason shared this with us this quote by John Piper, "Adoption in God's mind was not PLAN B! He predestined us for adoption before the creation of the world. Plan A was not lots of children who never sin and never need to be redeemed. Plan A was creation, fall, redemption, adoption so that the full range of God's glory and mercy and grace could be known by his adopted children. Adoption was not second best. It was planned from the beginning. In our lives, there is something uniquely precious about having children by birth. That is not a good plan. There is also something different, but also uniquely precious, about adopting children. Each has its own uniqueness. Your choice to adopt children may be sequentially second. But does not have to be secondary. It can be as precious and significant as having children by birth. God is able to make adoption an A+ plan in our lives."

This spoke soooo much to me! I thought about adoption in this way for years, as plan B. I had infertility issues with Gracie and Piper and we felt that if we couldn't have our own we would definitely adopt. BUT now, I sing to a different tune. Praise God! There are several families in our church who have adopted children despite having biological ones. They are such examples to me, and seeing them live out the fact that adoption is not plan B has inspired me. We love the idea of adopting despite the fact that we have biological children. Because God has such a heart for them and so should we!! What an incredible way to demonstrate the gospel!!!

So are we adopting? I know you are thinking it;) Well, not right now. We will consider it when God lays it on our heart. For now we really wanted to know more about adoption and what other families have experienced. It was so moving to watch different friends of ours tell their stories and answer our questions. Our God is sooooo good. He is so faithful to the fatherless and those who care for them. We are definitely open and willing whenever the call comes.

To all of you who have a heart for adoption and foster care- THANK YOU!!!! The sacrifices are many, yet the rewards eternal. Thank you for demonstrating the Gospel in such a profound way.