An Amazing Story from All God's Children International Newsletter

I can still remember telling my mother one day, "When I grow up, I will adopt a child." I don't know if she believed me or not, because I was just a child myself! However, I knew God had birthed that desire in my heart and I believed He would bring it to pass. My life continued to unfold. I grew up, got married, and eventually did become the mother of four beautiful children. The faith-filled statement I had made to my mother that day so many years earlier did turn out to be more than just a childhood memory. It had been a divine call, God's personal promise—and He brought it to pass. We adopted two of our children, a son domestically, and a daughter joined our family from Korea. My passion to help children find a family was realized and lived out daily in my own home. I was content raising our family and felt so blessed. My life was full of school and church activities and I loved being a wife and mother! Then, in a moment, my life changed…
ALL THINGS…

In the year 2000, my life dramatically changed. My husband who had finally achieved his goal of becoming a CEO, announced that he was leaving our family to start a new life in New York. In an instant everything in our world was turned upside down. I was devastated. After raising four children and just sending the last one off on her own, I found myself alone. Heartbroken and needing time to heal, I moved back to Kansas City to be close to friends and regroup. I found a wonderful church that allowed me to work in their office, and I was surrounded with love and a healing environment. I clung daily in faith to another promise God gave me through His word, a promise He gives to us all:

"We are assured and know that…ALL THINGS…work together and are fitting into a plan FOR GOOD
to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose." Romans 8:28(AMP)

I prayed diligently that God would, despite my heartbreak, help me to believe with all my heart that He would bring something GOOD out of ALL THE THINGS that had happened in my life.
HIS DESIGN AND PURPOSE…

In 2004, as much as I loved the work and the people at the church, there was restlessness in my soul. I felt God wanted me to give my life to something more. Since I had always been drawn to children in need of finding families, I researched children's organizations, thinking I might find a direction there; I found myself on AGCI's Web site. Since I was 53 at the time, I felt certain I would not be a candidate for adoption, so I decided to simply ignore what I had read. But God continued to put His orphaned children on my heart. Finally, I dared to entertain the possibility of doing something and decided to write for more information about AGCI's programs, thinking perhaps there might be other ways to help orphaned children through their ministry. By the time the information arrived, I had come to my senses and saw how ridiculous that idea was; I came up with a multitude of excuses, so I put the information away on a top shelf. Several weeks later, my courage returned and I thought perhaps it wouldn't hurt to just read it. A few days later I sent off for further information; I figured it wouldn't hurt! Much to my surprise, just three days later, I received a call from AGCI to talk with me about the possibility of adopting, despite my apology for wasting their time and sharing the fact that I was older and single. Could this be God? Was He clearly opening another door?
STOP SIGNS OR OPEN DOORS?

I immediately began to pray about this seemingly "divine development," asking God to show me "stop signs" along the way if adoption was not what He wanted me to pursue. I knew that AGCI had other ways I could help and serve the orphans I loved, but the doors kept opening. I was both delighted (and a bit scared) at the possibility! Although there were those who reminded me how difficult it would be to raise children alone, and others who told me how important it was for children to have a father, I kept trying to listen for God's voice above other people's opinions. The process just seemed to keep moving forward. One moment I was full of faith, and the next I entertained the inevitable questions that came with taking a leap of faith. Could I do this alone at my age? What was I thinking? But if I didn't—what if I missed what God had intended? I spent many nights praying and assuring God that if He chose to close this door, I would totally understand. I kept thinking if there were thousands of children living in orphanages, wouldn't it be better for them to have a mother, extended family, and a loving home, than remain in an orphanage for the rest of their lives? So I simply kept praying and asking fervently for direction and guidance. Yet miraculously, against all odds, the doors kept swinging open, one after another. I turned in my dossier to AGCI, requesting to adopt a little girl from Russia. Shortly after that red letter day, while driving to an appointment, I simply heard God speak to my heart and say, "I don't want you to just adopt one child; I want you to adopt two!" I was stunned to say the least. But I knew His voice. It was the same voice that had assured my heart as a little girl that I would adopt a child someday. Now I knew He was asking me to begin again, and spend my life loving and caring for two orphan children unknown to me, but He already knew them by name. So I called AGCI and my dossier was changed with some additional paperwork. Now I was praying for two!
MY JOURNEY BEGINS…

In November 2004, the pictures and referral arrived from Russia. I knew the moment I saw them I was supposed to keep going forward. Two precious little faces were smiling at me—two sisters, ages three and almost five, living in an orphanage in northern Russia. I made travel plans and in early December, my sister accompanied me to meet the girls for the first time. We found them waiting behind their orphanage door in the middle of Siberia. It was cold and snow was on the ground. I was kept warm by the deep love burning in my heart for these little ones who God had loved so much. He had, in His mercy, led me to their side halfway around the world. It was hard to kiss them goodbye, but I knew I would be back soon, so I left them in the Father's care. I arrived home just in time to celebrate Christmas at my house with my older children. They knew where I had been, but I don't think the reality of my pending adoptions became a reality to them until they realized those two little Russian girls had faces, and those faces were now on Mom's refrigerator door! We all had a heart to heart talk that Christmas. They shared their fears and I did my best to understand. They had all spent five years working through the fact of their dad leaving and life not being the same. In the end, however, just as all parents have to trust God with their children, my children had to do the same for me: trust God and believe He was leading me to walk in the light of His truth, what He had spoken to my heart.
FACING THE UNEXPECTED…

As the new year approached, I was busy preparing for the arrival of my new daughters. Unexpectedly, I received a phone call from AGCI with news that Russia was on the verge of shutting down its adoption program for an unknown length of time. My heart turned upside down. Was this the stop sign I had asked God to put up in case I had missed His will? Once again I prayed that God would help me walk the path He had put before me. AGCI worked diligently to expedite everything they could. They stood with me in faith and vowed to do all they could to get my girls home before the deadline. My admiration and appreciation is without measure! The urgency I felt in my heart, they also shared as well, and miraculously I realized that God had not put up a stop sign through the impending closure, but had instead mercifully opened up the highways of heaven to bring His girls home before the closure. In February 2005, I prepared to travel once again, this time with a friend, back to Siberia to pick up my daughters. Our translator never left our side, and the process went perfectly. On March 3, 2005, I brought Anna Grace and Emily Joy home! It was a new beginning for all of us. I thanked God for helping me be obedient to His call, and for being so faithful to me and my girls. I realized then that they were His hidden treasure, "THE GOOD" that He promised to bring out of the devastating "ALL THINGS" that had happened years earlier in my life. They were living reality of His promise in Romans 8:28. My daughter's middle names reflect the GRACE that God gave me to endure and believe my life was not over during that time, and the JOY He filled my heart with as He revived once again His purpose and call in my life.
FIVE YEARS LATER!

Now that I have had Anna Grace and Emily Joy for over five years, I can only say how grateful I am that God has allowed me to have them as my daughters. Anna is vivacious and eager to try everything from ice skating to horseback riding. Emily is so sweet and loves church, bowling, and swimming. They are great travelers, so we just returned from our annual beach week with their older siblings and my five grandchildren. They are and continue to be the most awesome gifts from God. I know that God in His infinite wisdom knew exactly what was needed by all of us, and He made us a family. Do they have some struggles? Yes, as most children do. We deal with some delays and learning challenges, but really just normal things that many parents encounter along the way. On the more difficult days, I find myself singing the same song I sang when I came across struggles with my older children. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone, and He will carry us when we can't carry on. Raised in his power, the weak become strong. His strength is perfect. I am daily amazed that God would choose this older, often insecure, single woman to be the mother to these dear little girls. There are times that I wish I were ten years younger and had more time on this earth. There are so many children who need to experience God's mercy through a family.
TO EVERY GENERATION…

My story doesn't stop here! My son and his wife have recently applied to adopt an Ethiopian child through AGCI as well, so I will, hopefully, be welcoming a new grandchild soon. I hear they are praying for twins! I am so blessed! Our family resembles our own united nations: Korea, the U.S., Russia, and now Ethiopia. Throughout my life, I have seen God's mercy right in front of me, even in the difficult times I have experienced. Yet He has always graciously allowed me to walk in His path of truth and guided me forward each step of the way. I can confidently speak with David the words he wrote in the Psalms: "His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness endures throughout every generation." Psalm 100:5 (GWT)
His mercy does endure forever. He has been faithful to my family. I am now watching that same faithfulness and mercy being passed down and lived out in the lives of my children. God's mercy is remembered every day in our family. I see it in the faces of my older children, my younger children, and my grandchildren.
ONE LAST THOUGHT…

November is national adoption month. I just want to encourage all who read my story to stop for a moment and ask the Lord if there is something He wants you to do for orphan children around the world. Age doesn't seem to matter to God. If He wants you to do something, He will open the doors. All you have to do is be willing to walk through it. You never want to look back and wonder what might have been, if you ignore the open door He lays before you.

This article hits close to home since my husband and I adopted our son from Guatemala and looking to possibly adopt again. I have been waiting for God's sign. I think I need to really open my eyes and my heart to really hear what God is really saying to me.

I hope this was inspirational for you as well.

Lori