Why Not?

There are times in life that God throws something in your lap that is completely unexpected. Actually, most times unexpected things happen. It's life, what more is there to expect than that? A month ago at our small group, one of the couples mentioned something about an adoption conference. It was something that James and I had discussed lightly but never seriously explored. What a world of possibilities God gives us! As they explained the conference there were a million things going through my head....I had never really pictured myself as an adoptive mother, but why not? What is limiting us from doing something like that? Why hadn't we considered this before? Yeah, it may not be the "typical" American lifestyle but who cares, we're called to be different, to be weird....what an amazing world of opportunity....

So we decided to sign up for the Wait No More conference and explore. This conference was designed to be for local children that are already in the foster care system and are over 5. They talked about the biblical, social, emotional, and monetary (only a couple hundred dollars) aspects of adoption through the foster care system. We learned several things about the process and what God says about orphans. There were several points made but these stuck out most for me.

1) God specifically tells us to help orphans
There are several passages in the bible that tell us basic things that can help us follow Christ and fulfill God's will. I have not seen many passages, though, that tell us very specific things that we should all do. When it comes to orphans, God calls us all to specifically help them.

"Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." (James 1:27)

Wow! The most pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans! Those are very strong words and are meant to be that way. Jesus models this behavior just before he goes to pray in the garden. He is talking about the holy spirit being with his followers forever.

"But you will know him (the holy spirit) for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." (John 14:17b-18)

God took all of us into his family when we had been lost in this world. There is nothing more clear than that Jesus calls all of his followers to love and look after orphans as he looks after us.


2) Anyone can adopt
It doesn't matter if you're married, single, young, old, have kids, or have no kids. Almost anyone can apply for adoption and most likely adopt a child. We we're amazed that we could, at a young age, actually adopt a child. The only qualification is that you are over 21 years old, you have financial resources to maintain a home, and can provide for the child's needs. We could do all of those things; God has blessed us with sooo much that we have the ability and means to adopt and care for a child! Why not care for one that needs a home and has been waiting for a family?

3) There are local kids that need help
There is some where around 350 children in just Colorado that are in the foster care system and are waiting for a family. I can't image losing my first family and parents and then waiting for someone to come along to adopt me. The sad truth is that most older kids have a veeerrry small chance of being adopted because people are afraid to adopt someone that has already gone through so much and who will be in their hardest years of their lives. But these people are still children, they're still God's children who deserve a stable, loving family. If these kids never get adopted, they "age-out" of the system and are sent on their way to life. Most often it is a life of crime, pain, hardship, suffering, lovelessness, hurt, and struggle. Without a family to support them, these aged-out children look forward to a mostly lonely, sad life.

4) Why Not
Why not....A pastor at our church a few weeks ago gave a sermon about adoption. He talked about all of the the things I've already mentioned. The scariest but most life-changing thing that he said was, instead of asking God "why?", ask him "why not?". Instead of justifying why we should do something, asking God why we shouldn't. And if God does not give you any "why-nots", then why not do it!! What an amazing new perspective that God gave us!! We have been asking each other and our dearest family and friends, why not adopt? What is keeping us from adoption? Why not take in God's child who needs love, a family, support? So, this is where we are at in the process. We are talking with absolutely every support person, mentor, close friend, and most importantly, God, about why we should not adopt. And so far....we have not come up with any why nots. We are going to continue to explore, pray, and seek until we are sure there are no legitimate why-nots.

So we want to ask you all, why not? Maybe you should check out this website and learn more about adopting from the foster care system. Then maybe you should go to a conference or get some material and read about it. Then maybe you could pray about it and talk to family and friends. Then maybe you should fill out the paperwork and start the process. Then you could take a child (God's child whom he loves and wants to show that love to) into your home and have them become part of your family forever. Then maybe you could fulfill God's call to care for orphans......Why Not?