Guidance, Healing, & Hope

Since starting this adoption journey, God has laid so much upon my heart.  And it's only been two short months.  I've cried out for the sick and starving in third world countries, mourned for mother's faced with giving up their children as the only choice for their babies to survive, I prayed desperately for baby Noah to find a forever family, and grieved over the millions of babies that were aborted without ever getting a chance at life.  And this week God has laid even more on my heart.  He has definitely been breaking my heart for what breaks His.

A friend told me about a family in need of prayers.  (Names left out to protect their privacy).  Two children, a 2 year old girl and a 2 month old boy, were permanently removed from their mother for suspected abuse.  They were placed in the care of their grandmother and their 18 year old aunt.  Their mother has no visitation rights.  And the family is feeling overwhelmed with these children.  I don't know any specifics and I can only imagine how hard it must be. 

There must be so much pain in knowing that your loved one is suspected of child abuse.  And so much pain in looking at these little ones and knowing that they have overcome so much in their short little lives.  There is so much unconditional love to care for these children as your own and want the very best for them.  There is so much sacrifice when raising children.  And let's face it, it's just plain hard.  It's hard for every parent bringing home a new baby - the sleepless nights, trying to find a routine, and still juggling everything that has to be done, work, chores, and the list goes on.  Take all of that and imagine becoming a parent overnight, a single parent at that.  Imagine having a 2 month old tossed into your arms at the young age of 18, barely an adult yourself with so much ahead of you.  That's sacrifice.

Our house is a living example of how hard raising children can be.  Ashton is 18 months, Abby is 5 years old, and with two girls, the meltdowns are frequent.  Every morning we can expect a meltdown over shoes, clothes, hair, or babydolls.  And this is just in the 15 minutes we are getting them ready to go to Mamaw's house.  And somehow we look at all this craziness and say, yeah, let's add one more to the mix.  God has given us so much more than we need, and these chronic meltdowns are just a phase in our life (right?).  And when I hear stories like this, about an 18 year old girl becoming an instant mom, I realize how easy I've got it, and how blessed I am.

Please pray for God's guidance for this family.  Pray for healing for all the pain.  Pray for hope for the future of these beautiful children.  I've been pouring my heart out in prayer for this family whom I have never met.  And when I think of them, I think of Jeremiah 29:11.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11