Waiting and Praying for Child #3--Our Adoption Story--Part 1

I was 12-years-old, sitting in an old church pew, listening to a missionary speak about China's orphans when the Lord first whispered to my heart about adoption.  

I think the man who was speaking had the name of Will.  

What he said and where he lived exactly,  is all very vague.  

However, even at the young age of 12, the Lord's nudging could not have been more clear.  

Ringing in my heart were the words, "This is real.  You can help...and you WILL."

I will?  

What can I do?  

I'm only 12?!  

James 1:27

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

I believe the Lord has called every single one of us to help orphans.

The first thing we all can do to help is pray.  

Pray fervently for children without forever families.

For many years now, I have felt a tug from Jesus.

The tug that says, 

"Praying is right and good, 

but I have more for you."

Isn't God's work incredible?

In college, I met the man of my dreams.

We were on a path to marry, but I hadn't really thought to tell him about the tug the Lord placed on my heart at the age of 12.

(I'm not sure why I didn't think to tell him, I guess it must have been all the twitterpation.")

Clint and I were sitting in a premarital counseling session, when the topic of expectations of future children popped up.

"How many kids do you see yourself having?" 

In that moment, I remember feeling like my heart was going to pop out of my chest.

I was feeling EXTREMELY embarrassed that I had not thought to speak to my fiance about adoption.  How could I have forgotten to bring this up?

 Not only was he now about to hear about my desire need to adopt for the first time in pre-marriage counseling, but also in front of my brother and sister-in-law!

(Yep, we did pre-marriage counseling with my brother...and yes it was a tad awkward at times ;) 

Before long, the question was out...

"Have either of you thought about adoption?"

(or a similar type question)

I remember looking at Clint with a sheepish grin.

The grin he probably didn't recognize then as my:

"I'm-so-sorry. I-completely-forgot-to tell you-until-now" grin.

It's a grin he has seen quite a few times since marrying me in May of 2006, and now can pick up in a single heartbeat.

It was then I shared my story.  

The story of God telling me that not only could I help orphans, but that I would.   

I told him of the whisper that had grown much stronger over the years.  

Not only would I continue to pray for faces that I had never seen, but that someday I would have the extreme privilege and gift of being Mommy to a child who had been burdened with the experience of loosing their biological parents for one reason or another. 

God's grace and mercy covered me in that moment.

 It was a moment which could have been very painful and awkward,

but instead my future husband looked me straight in the eyes and said,

"Alissa, I've felt the same way since I was a teenager."

You see, the Lord knew what He was doing when he brought us together...

...for such a time as this.

Clint and I  have always had it in our minds to adopt internationally.

China has been written on our heart for quite some time.

Would we consider a different option if God presented it?

ABSOLUTELY!

But for now we are starting where we feel God has led first.

I guess you could say I've been waiting to turn 30 since I was 12.

Under China's rules and regulations, you cannot adopt from China until both parents are 30 years of age.

I'm excited to say that in November of this year, 

I WILL FINALLY BE THIRTY-YEARS-OLD!!!

Some people dread the changing decade.

I couldn't be more excited!

As a pre-birthday celebration, we started our preliminary adoption and homestudy paperwork last week!

There are many more things I would like to tell you, but I'll save it for another update.

Some of you may have questions.

Please ask, but know that we do not have all the answers.

Can you help an orphan today?

YES!

You can help one in particular by remembering to pray for Clint, Liam, Ruby and me as we begin the privileged journey of opening our hearts and our home to child #3!  

Our biggest prayer is that by the grace and mercy of Jesus, our child will be provided daily with safety, warmth, nutrition, and love by someone else until we can be the ones to provide those basic needs every day. 

We will also be praying for wisdom, patience, and the Lord's timing, amongst other things.

We are SO EXCITED to see the way the Lord chooses to grow our family!
Will you please partner in prayer with us?
We will keep you updated.

We will leave you with with hope that the Lord has given us.
Thank you for your encouragement and support in advance!

Jeremiah 29:11
 ^"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."