Our story of adopting Kaylee Grace...
Brodie has always been moved by stories of adoption. Each time he saw a TV special or read an article on it he'd be moved to tears and say, "How many kids do you think we could fit in our playroom?", and begin to try and figure out a way to help and make some sort of difference. I have also been touched by the overwhelming need and inspiring stories that we'd hear ...but I never thought that we'd actually adopt a child. I have always felt that our hands were so full with our 3 and the importance of pouring into them in every way. I felt that if we were going to raise them up in this crazy world to know and love Jesus and actually make a difference for His Kingdom, then we couldn't take on any more...especially another child and especially through adoption. It just all seemed so overwhelming to me.
On May 23, 2011 Brodie came home and showed our family an email from a co-worker who had just adopted. He had tears in his eyes and sat us all down and had a very serious talk about the sacrifice that adoption would be - but that if Jesus calls us to do it He will take care of everything...I was caught off guard because adoption was NOT on our radar!!! I jokingly said, "If Jesus is calling us to do this then He needs to tell me...because this is NOT on my heart at all!" We all just kind-of laughed and moved on. As much as Brodie's heart would break for orphans when he'd hear stories, he never really thought seriously about it and really didn't even think that it was something we'd actually do ~ we really thought our role in helping orphans would always just be financial.
Well, 2 weeks later, Jesus spoke very clearly to me through a friend who had adopted their youngest child...all I can tell you is that as she spoke I knew that it was not her encouraging me to adopt, it was Jesus using her story to encourage me to open my heart to this wonderful miracle. It's like a switch in my heart was all of a sudden turned on and I went from sincerely believing that adoption was not for us to having my eyes opened and praying as I walked away from my friend, "Wow Lord! Are You really saying this is for us?!!!?" I sent a text to Brodie immediately and he was shocked to say the least. But we agreed that we would take time to seriously pray together and see if Jesus truly was asking us to be willing to follow Him into the miracle of adoption.
To be honest, without Jesus specifically moving our hearts towards adoption I am sure we would have missed this miracle. Without Jesus we are WAY too selfish. And we enjoyed staying inside of our comfort zone with everything familiar. So as people say, "That is so noble of you" or, "What a wonderful thing for you to choose to do for a child". We say, "It is ALL Jesus - apart from Him we are just too selfish!" But oh how thankful that we are that He doesn't just love us enough to Save us and leave us as we are...He changes us bit by bit, day by day, and makes our hearts more like His. And that is what we are praying, "Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours! Our lives are not our own...they belong to You. So have Your Way in us! No matter the cost - just make us more like YOU and less like ourselves."
To be honest, without Jesus specifically moving our hearts towards adoption I am sure we would have missed this miracle. Without Jesus we are WAY too selfish. And we enjoyed staying inside of our comfort zone with everything familiar. So as people say, "That is so noble of you" or, "What a wonderful thing for you to choose to do for a child". We say, "It is ALL Jesus - apart from Him we are just too selfish!" But oh how thankful that we are that He doesn't just love us enough to Save us and leave us as we are...He changes us bit by bit, day by day, and makes our hearts more like His. And that is what we are praying, "Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours! Our lives are not our own...they belong to You. So have Your Way in us! No matter the cost - just make us more like YOU and less like ourselves."
