The Spirit of Adoption

What have I spent the last hour doing? I've been reading adoption blogs & crying over the beautiful pictures of little ones whose forever families have found them! I think that adoption is so close to the heart of God. In fact, I know it is since He has adopted us into His family.

On a regular basis I pray for LIFE - the ending of abortion. I vote, I call my legislators, I try to inform others, and I PRAY. I pray not just for the ending of abortion, but also for God to increase the spirit of adoption. I'm not really sure how you can pray for one without the other. Yes, sometimes women who choose life for their baby will go ahead and keep their little one. But, there are so many that are seeking abortion because there are circumstances outside of their control that will prohibit them from keeping and raising their baby. Some of these women have so much love for their babies, they put them up for adoption because of their great love. I think the Church often forgets the sacrifice this girl is making and forgets to love her, but that's a different story.

If we truly want abortion to end, we have to become active in the reality of adoption. I know what you're thinking, it's easy for the single girl sitting behind her computer to say that to others, but I truly believe adoption is on the heart of God. I know it's hard to wait & wait for a birth mother to say "yes", and I know it's expensive. But I also know that I have friends who have been unable to have babies that share their DNA, so they spend lots of money for all kinds of fertility treatments. I have prayed with and for these friends. And it breaks my heart to see their arms, hearts and bank accounts empty when those treatments don't work...leaving them without a little one in their arms.

I want to adopt one day. I would love to have 6 children of all different skin and eye colors, hair types and just plain gorgeousness! In my mind, I can picture having my own "rainbow tribe". I've sought the Lord on this desire, but He has let me know that adopting while I'm still single is not His plan for me. So, He's either going to send me a husband with a heart for adoption, or He'll continue to burden my heart to go to the place of prayer. I will still pray that if He has placed the desire for adoption on my heart, He will line up my circumstances with His plans. Since there's no husband on the horizon, though, I will keep praying for God to open the hearts of those He is wanting to bless with one of His precious little ones. And I'll continue to pray that when hearts are open, that He will provide finances. And I'll pray for the hearts of these dear little ones...that they will know the love of earthly moms and dads, and that they will ultimately know they are loved by the God of the universe!

LIFE and Voting

I voted early today for the Illinois primary.  (Since I'm serving as an election judge out of my precinct, I had to vote early.)  As I filled in ovals on my ballot, I looked down and, yet again, noticed the red band I have worn on my wrist every day for 7 years.  Over the years, I've had many people ask me about it.  It says "LIFE".

The LIFE band was born out of a ministry that prays for the ending of abortion.  I truly believe God meant it when He said "thou shalt not murder" (Exodus 20:13).  I believe He meant it when He said that He hates "hands that shed innocent blood" (Prov 6:16-17).  I believe He meant it when He said "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man" (Genesis 9:6).  For the bloodshed of slavery in our nation, 600,000 men died.  My heart grieves when I think about the debt we will pay for the murdering of 55+ million innocent unborn babies.

I believe that life begins at conception.  When someone announces they are pregnant and we ask "what are you having?", we know the answer is a baby - we just wonder if it's a boy or a girl.  The answer will never be "a rock, a computer, a telephone", no, it is LIFE, a living human being!  I also believe that the heart of EVERY human knows it is life as well, no matter how deceived they've become.

So what does that have to do with voting?  Well, our nation is divided on the issue of legalized abortion and has been since the 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade.  Many, though sadly not all, Christians are pro-life.  Yet, many Christians don't participate in voting. My belief is that we (US citizens) are something like Esther.  We have been born (or naturalized) into a nation in which we have a voice in our government.  Maybe we've been placed here for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).  Yes, I know that our system is not perfect.  And, I know that it may seem your vote doesn't count.  (Um, hello, I live in Illinois & normally the maps show my state all one color, with 2 or 3 counties the color of the winning party because that's where larger populations are located.)  Maybe your vote is like mine and won't change things on the national landscape.  But, what would happen if thousands who feel that way voted?  It might change things.  And, for me, the bigger issue is that when I stand before God and give my account, I can tell Him that I voted for LIFE.

Back to the LIFE band, I don't wear a band on my wrist to remind myself to vote pro-life once or twice a year.  Every time I see this band, I am reminded to pray for the ending of abortion.  Prayer is the most important thing I can do.  I know that God's heart is grieved for the millions of unborn slaughtered every year.  I know that His heart is for the hearts of the mothers and fathers to be turned to the children.  I know that Jesus longs to see justice!  So I pray for the ending of abortion and for revival to spread through our nation!  And I vote, call legislators, work to inform others....  I believe "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16)!  But I also believe He gives us opportunities to "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 31:9).  The unborn desperately need our voice, both in the place of prayer and the national arena!