A Divine Appointment

One of the highlights of our vacation was a divine appointment with a sister in Christ whom I had not met before. We met at the top of one of the Warren Dunes when we offered to take pictures of each other's families. Of course we were drawn to each other because one of her children was adopted, and of course she noticed our family couldn't not have been formed merely by birth.

In the way that can only happen between women, our conversation moved immediately to deep matters of the heart. She shared something so beautiful with me, I pray it will never leave my heart. She told me about her struggle with infertility and how God moved their hearts towards adoption. In the weeks following her husband's return from China to pick up their little one, she gave birth!

She shared how many people asked her if they would stop their adoption process once they found out they were pregnant. Her response, "no! that would be like an abortion!". I don't know that she actually shared that verbally with anyone, but that is how she felt in her heart!

She shared how the verses of Isaiah 58:6-12 have taken on a new depth and richness. These verses talk about when you spend yourself on behalf of the poor, your healing will quickly appear. She knows that when she and her husband heeded God's call to take care of the widow and the orphan, she was healed. She knew it wasn't simply a matter of, youknowifyoudecidetoadoptyouwillrelaxandgetpregnant. She placed her whole hope in God, obeyed his precious call, and she was healed.

I know this is not every woman's experience and I do not believe adoption is the prescription for infertility. I do know God heals in all kinds of ways. Our adoption journey did not start from the desert of infertility, but through this divine appointment on the top of a sand dune, I began to see the ways God has healed me, changed me, grown me through our two adoptions.

I am beyond grateful to my God who heals both parent and child when he weaves family together through adoption.