March 10th, 2017 |
Evan Dlugosz
Fear crept through my body the instant we signed the contract with the adoption agency. The reluctance, caution, trepidation, and excitement swirled together and hit me like a tidal wave. The risk of the unknown was way too much for my conservative nature.
Back in our dating days, Ashley and I knew that we were both passionate about adoption and wanted to care for a child who was abandoned. When we signed the contract that passion became a reality. The long and intimidating journey of adoption had come, and the more we dove into the process the more we realized how overwhelming everything was.
The system has changed drastically compared to when my sister and I were adopted from South Korea over 30 years ago. There is twice as much red tape, the waiting time is longer, the children are older, the finances have been tripled, and the mountains of paperwork are taller. I knew most of this going into the process, but obviously didn’t know the full extent of it.
God has been teaching us so much through the adoption process, and we know that He will teach us even more when we bring our child home. For those of you who want to adopt and feel that it's either too intimidating or there are too many barriers, there are. Eating the elephant one bite at a time is the systematic approach to take, and ultimately leaning on God's timing, direction, and divine providence will get you through. It feels like an eternity until we get to see our child. We have already spent 8 months completing our application, referrals, the home study, immigration, and we're half-way through the dossier. Once the dossier is finished we will finally get a referral for our child, and that could take another 6 months to a year.
In Luke 22, Jesus was in agony knowing how much it would cost to go to the cross. His sweat was like great drops of blood falling to the ground, and knowing how difficult it would be, he still submitted to the Father's will, ultimately knowing the glorious outcome. Galatians 4:4-5 says, "God sent forth His son...to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." He pursued us knowing how great the challenge was before Him, how immense the cost was through the shedding of His blood, but ultimately knowing the glorious outcome. He bought us with a price, and for those of us that have accepted Him as Savior for the forgiveness of sins are then adopted into the family of God.
Adoption is expensive and it's by no means convenient. You're not going to hit a grand slam and easily slide into home plate. Now I'm not saying throw caution to the wind financially or emotionally and go save a baby in a foreign land, but what I am saying is that adoption is an incredible picture of the Gospel, and that we should strive to foster a culture of adoption in our church, community, friends, and family.
The adoption process will be stressful, inconvenient, and financially challenging. Christ certainly knew that our adoption was worth it, and His example should encourage us to pursue Gospel driven adoption for the Kingdom of Christ!
Fear crept through my body the instant we signed the contract with the adoption agency. The reluctance, caution, trepidation, and excitement swirled together and hit me like a tidal wave. The risk of the unknown was way too much for my conservative nature.
Back in our dating days, Ashley and I knew that we were both passionate about adoption and wanted to care for a child who was abandoned. When we signed the contract that passion became a reality. The long and intimidating journey of adoption had come, and the more we dove into the process the more we realized how overwhelming everything was.
The system has changed drastically compared to when my sister and I were adopted from South Korea over 30 years ago. There is twice as much red tape, the waiting time is longer, the children are older, the finances have been tripled, and the mountains of paperwork are taller. I knew most of this going into the process, but obviously didn’t know the full extent of it.
God has been teaching us so much through the adoption process, and we know that He will teach us even more when we bring our child home. For those of you who want to adopt and feel that it's either too intimidating or there are too many barriers, there are. Eating the elephant one bite at a time is the systematic approach to take, and ultimately leaning on God's timing, direction, and divine providence will get you through. It feels like an eternity until we get to see our child. We have already spent 8 months completing our application, referrals, the home study, immigration, and we're half-way through the dossier. Once the dossier is finished we will finally get a referral for our child, and that could take another 6 months to a year.
In Luke 22, Jesus was in agony knowing how much it would cost to go to the cross. His sweat was like great drops of blood falling to the ground, and knowing how difficult it would be, he still submitted to the Father's will, ultimately knowing the glorious outcome. Galatians 4:4-5 says, "God sent forth His son...to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." He pursued us knowing how great the challenge was before Him, how immense the cost was through the shedding of His blood, but ultimately knowing the glorious outcome. He bought us with a price, and for those of us that have accepted Him as Savior for the forgiveness of sins are then adopted into the family of God.
Adoption is expensive and it's by no means convenient. You're not going to hit a grand slam and easily slide into home plate. Now I'm not saying throw caution to the wind financially or emotionally and go save a baby in a foreign land, but what I am saying is that adoption is an incredible picture of the Gospel, and that we should strive to foster a culture of adoption in our church, community, friends, and family.
The adoption process will be stressful, inconvenient, and financially challenging. Christ certainly knew that our adoption was worth it, and His example should encourage us to pursue Gospel driven adoption for the Kingdom of Christ!
Praying for you as you walk this road! What a glory to Christ. Love you!
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