by Laurie Green
“I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever! Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.” Psalms 89:1-2
About 2001/2002, we had been married almost 12 years, and my husband, Wesley, asked me to pray about adoption. At first, I had some serious reservations for a few reasons.
First of all, I felt like it would not be faith to adopt. Wow was I wrong about that!! Second, I knew adoption to be very expensive, could take years of waiting and just mean more disappointment. Third, one of my best friends in high school was adopted and her home life was not at all the kind of close loving family I had known. Because of that being my example, I was afraid a child that didn’t come from my body wouldn’t love me as much as a natural child would. Man oh man, was I wrong about that as well!! Our daughter, Evie, may not be flesh of my flesh but she is deeply and eternally heart of my heart.
We had a great life with lots of family and close friends and the service of our Lord, but something was missing. Have you ever felt like you missed someone you’ve never met? We did! We prayed and prayed for the Lord to do what He promised, for Him to send this little miracle baby we were missing. Our families prayed for us. Ministers at church prayed for us. Years rolled by, month after month I would be broken hearted when I would start my period. If I was just a few days late, I would take a pregnancy test only to see that it was negative again. We prayed, fasted, quoted scripture, broke curses, cursed the devil, named it and claimed it. . you name it – we did it. I would cry out, “God I don’t understand, what am I doing wrong?”
We did everything we thought we needed to do and everything other people advised us to do except just wait and trust in the Father’s goodness. I was so confused and hurt. I knew I was loved by my Heavenly Father so why did I feel abandoned? I knew Father God to be a good daddy, who longs to give good gifts to His children. I knew He could provide and would provide. . . but WHEN, and how??
A wise man once said, “when we have to wait on our promises, they come to us with interest”. That could not be more true for us. Our Evie is incredible!! People who know her, call her “planet love.” However, I definitely understand the shattering pain and tears of those desperately eager to hold their promise in their arms. The 13 years of waiting, the mounds of paper work, the countless legal proceedings. That part was not so incredible.
Not to mention the fact that we spent 3 years stuck in a foreign country.
YESSSSS, you read that correctly. We packed for a week long trip to Peru, not to return until over 3 years later.
But we came back with our promise!!!
I have often described our years in Peru, as a ride down a raging river in a little canoe with no paddles or a roller coaster ride with no breaks. A ride that seemed like it would never end and we would never be free. A ride that, prior to our ordeal, we would have thought we were completely spiritually prepared to handle. Being Christians from childhood, we went there thinking we were spiritually rich, but quickly found out we were “miserable, poor, blind, and naked”. (Rev. 3:17).
However, because of our Father’s faithfulness, we learned how to trust in His goodness, not in our power, or our ability. We learned to trust His love for us alone to move our mountains. We truly came to know the God that when the situation looks impossible and when there is NO way out, He STILL makes a road in the depths of the sea for His people to cross over. (Ex.14:16)
We found out that our God STILL shuts the mouths of the roaring lions! (Dan 6:22)
We saw that He is STILL the 4th man in the fire! (Dan 3:25)
To those moms with open but empty arms, your gift is coming!
He really does have a plan for our lives. He really is faithful and He really is good!!
Laurie wrote a book that beautifully articulates their story. I definitely recommend reading it. It is so uplifting and encouraging.
Click this link: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Depths-Sea-Laurie-Green/dp/0578588919
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A future adoptive mama spreading hope and encouragement through creating custom hand-painted lettering + watercolor pieces on canvas.
Based in Saluda, South Carolina.