“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Have you ever felt God has called you to adopt a child in need? Any time someone brings up adoption do you sense a coaxing in your heart to support children who need safe homes? Have you already determined what that child will look like and what program you are going to pursue? Something the Lord has been revealing to me during my time at Nightlight is the need for more families that have felt called to adoption, but are willing to surrender exactly what that child looks like. If the Lord is leading and calling us to do something, a majority of the time, He is asking us to surrender every part of that plan and follow Him in faith. Isaiah 55:8-9 speaks to this so well. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” When we go into situations that the Lord has called us to, but struggle to relinquish our control, we are getting in the way of recognizing the incredible work that only the Lord can do in our lives.
My challenge to families that are hoping to adopt a child in need would be to surrender what that child looks like and allow your adoption agency to help determine where that child is. Yes, a lot of the children that need safe homes are usually older, have higher emotional and behavioral needs, are a part of large sibling sets, and will likely require a lot of focused attention and care to ensure their well-being in your home. If your motivation is to help a child in need, is that child not worth the sacrifice? As it stands, there are about 2 adoptive families for every 1 birth mother placing for adoption in private infant adoption. What a wonderful reality to have! There are more families willing to adopt an infant privately than there are women placing! I am so grateful that need has been met, but there are so many other adoption programs that have waiting children seeking safety and stability. In foster care, there are over 400,000 children needing safe families.
- On AdoptUSKids alone, there are over 3,000 foster children legally free for adoption and looking for an adoptive home.
- Across the world, there are an estimated 150,000,000 children who are orphaned. If your family feels specifically called to adopt the infant, have you considered the child that has not had a chance at life yet? Today, there are over 1,500,000 embryos in frozen storage.
- Our Snowflakes embryo adoption program is an amazing way to help a child in need, while also being able to adopt an infant. A program as unique as this, one that removes legal risk, has shorter wait times, and drastically reduced fees, is often one that many people fail to consider due to lack of awareness.
“Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Will you trust the Lord will all your heart and allow Him to define what child He is truly calling you to adopt?