And so it begins...

* UPDATE- You can now give to this fundraiser and purchase a link through our You Caring site. Just specify in the comments what color ring you are purchasing!*

 These types of blogs are never easy for me...I never like asking for money...or help. However, I've learned to look at this thing called "fundraising" differently. God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and callings- some to go, some to stay, some to teach, some to clean, some to serve, some to preach- and without all of these gifts and callings, our lives would be one boring blob. When I don't allow others to do the things they are called to do, I am withholding the blessing that they could receive from being and doing what God has called them to do and be. And that's why I am asking you to partner with us as we embark on this adoption adventure to find...our missing link.

Search for our Missing Link

 As you've read in my previous blogs, we have been given the lovely title of "infertility" and have chosen to embrace that title and trust in Jesus that His plan is perfect. And that plan, right now, is growing our family through adoption. Our family is definitely not complete and we are on the search for our missing link!

Here is how this fundraiser works:

 - Each of the links shown in the picture above are worth a different dollar amount. In order to connect the links to find the missing one, each link needs to be purchased. This can be done by mailing a check made out to David Woodley or Catherine Woodley and addressed to David Woodley at 1249 West Maple Avenue, Langhorne, PA 19047. When you purchase a link, please make sure to put a comment about what link you have purchased so we can attach your name to the link. Feel free to purchase them together with friends too! Our goal is the raise at least $5,000 through this fundraiser to go towards the adoption of our missing link!

Green Links- $200 each

Dark Blue Links- $150 each

Red Links- $100 each

Yellow Links- $75 each

Light Blue links- $50 each

Orange Links- $25 each

 As each link is purchased the heart will slowly become connected! When baby Woodley #2 arrives, these special links will go to him or her as a reminder of all the people who helped find our Missing Link! Check back often to see how quickly our heart becomes connected!

Our Next Adventure

 * If you didn't read my latest blog post, I encourage you to do so. It gives background to this blog post about our next adventure...the adoption of Baby Woodley #2!*

  In November of 2015, we adopted our beautiful baby girl, Abigail Cindy Woodley.

Her story is nothing short of a miracle. Dave and I had not tried to conceive naturally before we adopted, Abigail. We adopted her out of a desire to adopt and a very clear calling that adoption, at that moment in our lives, was exactly what we were supposed to do. And there was a reason- our Abby girl!

From start to finish, her adoption process took less than 6 months. Talk about fast!! We have had many hard days and long nights with our sweet Abby, but watching her grow, flourish, and beat all the odds makes all those days totally worth it!

 We recently began hearing the words "infertility"; "difficulty conceiving"; "IVF" and have been faced with some devastating facts and hard decisions. In the midst of this infertility journey, Dave and I continue to believe that one day God will fulfill our desire to be biological parents but until that time, we are going to be adopting!!

Baby Woodley #2

 Many have asked about what our second adoption will look like. God's plans are so much better than our own!! Because of the circumstance that surrounded Abby's adoption and the need for her to be adopted quickly, we were left with a surplus of money through Bethany Christian Services. Though we'd signed papers saying that there would be no refunds, Bethany offered to hold the surplus for up to two years in case we wanted to adopt again... and here we are just 8 months shy of that two year mark! This surplus allows us to have about $8,000 of the $30,000 adoption cost reduced. This is a huge praise!

  We are also not going to be open to severe medical needs again. We are open to minor medical/surgical needs and of course, we are open to either gender and any ethnicity. And, we are once again looking for an infant. My prayer is that we will have another baby by Christmas!

 Our paperwork and meetings will go much faster this time around as we are already in the system and much of what we have to do just has to be updated.

Prayer Requests:

 Adoption is hard- for many reasons. Knowing our ability to conceive on our own makes this next adventure of adoption very different from the last one. Adoption means the loss of a child from his biological mother for any number of reasons and that's just down right tough...on the child, on us, and on his or her birthparents.

 Adoption is expensive. We will once again be doing fundraisers to help raise the next $20,000 we will need in order to bring our second child home. We watched as God financially blessed in incredible ways for Abby's adoption and we know He will do it again!

 Adoption is exciting. Please pray that we will have patience in the process. Pray that we will not grow weary in well doing. And be in prayer for our second child- whoever he or she may be!

Adoption takes a village! Though my time is limited with our busy toddler, I will be blogging about this next adoption adventure whenever I can!! We are on an adventure to find Baby Woodley #2 and I hope you will join us!

It is Well with My Soul

  As I was preparing snacks for Abby's doctors visits this morning, I noticed some not so yummy looking grapes in the big bag in the fridge. I quickly removed the bad ones so they wouldn't spoil the good ones, washed the good ones and placed them in a baggy to bring with us. And then I got to thinking...

  What are the "bad" grapes in my life? Or, what are the things in my life that are hindering me from being all that I can be? Or the toughest question, what does God see in my life that I don't see that needs to be removed so that I can become more like Him?

 The last several months have been the bearer of some of the hardest and darkest moments emotionally and spiritually for me that I can ever remember. In February of 2016, Dave and I decided we would stop using any form of birth control and begin trying for a sibling for our adopted little girl, Abigail. As a nurse, I knew the intricacies of a baby being conceived and planned on it taking a few months. A few months turned into several months and nothing. I started to become concerned. I'm pretty in tune with my body and this just wasn't making sense. We are both young and healthy...it should be pretty easy, right?? We hit the 10 month mark and I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed answers. In November of  2016, we began seeing an infertility specialist. I went through a month of long and sometimes painful exams and procedures to then be told everything with me was fine. We used medications and injections for one month to try and conceive...nothing. So, in January of 2017, Dave was tested. In the back of my head, I had a fear that it might be him but never really thought it would happen. And then we got the phone call. My fear was a reality. The doctor calmly and matter of factly told us that without IUI or IVF, our chances of conceiving naturally were 3-4% with a decline every year we didn't conceive. I was devastated. Dave was devastated. This was my worst fear come true. My dream from the time I was a little girl was to be pregnant and have lots of kids and in that one conversation that dream came crashing down.

  Dave and I had many conversations about doing a procedure vs. continuing naturally. After much prayer and counseling, we decided to not do any medical intervention at this time and are continuing to trust that if God wants us to have a child biologically, He will create a miracle inside of me. However, there is a reminder every month that the miracle hasn't taken place yet. I recently began seeing a counselor to work through the emotional rollercoaster of this dreaded title of infertility. She asked me, "Catherine, if you were to sit with God and ask Him for a baby and He said 'No.' Then what would you ask?" And I immediately said, "That He would take away this ache and desire to be pregnant...to feel a child growing inside of me...to breastfeed my own child...to have a child that looks like me and my husband." And my counselor calmly said, "And what if God says no to that too?" My eyes began to well up with tears. "Then, I would ask Him to give me the strength to trust Him; the patience to have faith in His character; and the peace to be kind to others when I feel life is unfair."

  We live in a fallen world. God never promises pain-free living and prosperity...what He does promise is pain and persecution. 1 Peter 5:10 says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." My hope is not in the things of this world, but in Heaven. I was not created for the main purpose of bearing children (though I would like to think that); my main purpose for being created is to bring glory to God. If through this time of infertility I will bring God the most glory, then there is no place I would rather be. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." My job isn't to understand God's plan, but to be obedient in His plan while doing good. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "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 thought." God has a purpose and plan for my life that is "plans for welfare and not for evil, to give me a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

  So, I'm trusting Jesus to fulfill the desires of my heart...to one day biologically carry a child of my own. But even if that doesn't happen, I will still praise Jesus for His goodness and love and say, "Because of God's love for me and salvation from sin with hope of eternity forever with Him, it is well with my soul."

 

A Day in the Life...

 

 

 

Hello blogging world!! It's been a while! I have attempted to get on here so many times, but as you will read, life has been busy...crazy...life changing...unpredictable...and I wouldn't trade it!

 

For those of you who kept up with this blog at the beginning of our adoption process, don't worry, we didn't fall off the face of the planet. For those just now joining, welcome to our family adventure! You are more than welcome to go back and read the plethora of posts, or you can begin from the quick recap I am about to give.

 

Okay, here it goes!

 

My husband and I decided in June of 2015 that we wanted to adopt (read more about that on my earlier posts). In November of 2015, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Abigail, who has a very rare genetic disorder called Methylmalonic Acidemia, or MMA.

 

 Abby in the NICU at one day of life

 

Basically, Abby does not have the gene that makes the enzyme to breakdown protein. Hence, a menagerie of current and potential issues! Since her adoption, we have learned so much! Many things we were told about...many things we didn't fully understand until they happened...and many things we are learning as we go.

Abby in the NICU at one month old- discharged at 5 weeks

 

And this is what the past 5 months have looked like:

December- FINALLY home from our two week hotel stay in New Jersey and a visit to the ER with vomiting (this would be the first of many).

 

Our first of many ER visits

 



Abby celebrating her 2 month mark at home

 



January- started off the month great and ended it with a 5 day stay in the hospital with feeding intolerance and vomiting...and also getting a nasogastric tube for feeds at home.



 2nd trip to the ED...this time we were admitted...and celebrated her 3 month mark...in the hospital

 

 Home with her NG tube

 

Hanging feeds in the middle of the night...our new normal

 



February- we were finally discharged home the beginning of February and we thought we were finally in the clear...until Abby began vomiting almost constantly after every feed. For 4 weeks we attempted to do the nasogastric feeds, but things were just not working, so we were once again admitted at the end of February...almost 4 weeks since we had been in previously.

 ER visit number 3...and admitted once again!

 

So tired of this place...and celebrating her 4 month mark in the hospital

 



March- we decided to go ahead and have a G-tube placed in order to optimize Abby's feeds knowing that the vomiting and feeding intolerance was going to be a lifelong problem. So, on March 3rd, Abby had her first major surgery.

 Family picture before surgery

 

 So sleepy and warm after surgery...she was a trooper!

 

Abby and her newest device...the Gtube!

 

We were discharged on March 6th after 10 days of being in the hospital and things were going so much better! Abby's formula was changed...she was taking bottles again...and traveling with this kiddo was super easy! Just hook-up the pump in the backpack and away we go!

 Travel backpack for G-tube feeds

 

FINALLY...celebrating her 5 month mark at home!!

 



 April- we were doing so good on our hospital time! We'd been out about 6 weeks and the docs decided to change Abby's formula again...ever so slightly...well, that landed us in the ER, but thankfully, we were able to go home after about 7 hours.

4th ER visit...but discharged after 7 hours! That was a close one!

 



However, the end of April came and with it came some major changes to Abby's formula and again 3 days of vomiting and feeding intolerance. So, back to the hospital we went for a 4 day stay to get her back on track...and celebrated her 6 month mark in the hospital!

And now, here we are, a little over a week since we were last admitted. We've definitely had our fun moments throughout this time so far, but each day comes with it's challenges. Abby is on 5 different medications that are taken each day and receives one injection a week. Abby is seen by 4 different specialists as well as her primary pediatrician...meaning this kiddo averages a doctors visit almost every week if not multiples in one week. Abby is on G-tube feeds that run over a pump...sometimes she takes a bottle and other times, she will have nothing to do with it. Abby has continuous feeds at night that have to be hung at a certain time, changed in the middle of the night and taken down at a certain time in the morning. It's a lot.

However, I wouldn't trade it. The life we are able to give this little MMA fighter because we adopted her makes every ER visit, hospital stay, and long night worth it.

Here's a glimpse into our day today...

6am- Momma up and showering

6:45am- Abby's G tube feed is finished. I flush the tubing with water, take down the feed, change and dress Abby and place her on her playmat to play while I finish getting ready.

7am- Make breakfast for me and my sweet husband. While he finishes breakfast, I make Abby's special formula. I make a 24 hour batch every morning. Because we will be away over one of her feeds, I fill a bottle and place it with a freezer pack in the diaper bag.

7:30am- Breakfast is finished and I pull up Abby's 5 medications, get her feed bag and milk ready, get the pump and backpack, make sure there are enough diapers in the diaper bag, and quick change Abby before putting her in her carseat. I attach the tubing to her feeding tube, give her the medications, and hook up her feed that's now attached to the pump in the backpack.

8:15am- We are on the road to CHOP down in the city for our metabolism appointment. And yes, it takes us about an hour with traffic. Right before the stoplight, Abby's pump goes off that's it's done. At the light, I turn around and quickly shutoff Abby's pump.

9:15am- We are finally parked in the parking garage. I get Abby's stroller, place the diaper bag in it and disconnect Abby from the feeing tube and pump. Abby goes in the stroller and off we go to the appointment.

9:30am- We see the Metabolic Nurse Practitioner, the Metabolic doctor, and the nutritionist.

10:30am- After about an hour appointment, I take the urine sample from Abby down to the outpatient lab on the 3rd floor. Then, I head to the first floor to pick up a prescription and find out that the pre-authorization was never sent...5 days ago. So, phone calls are made, I hook up Abby's next g-tube feed and an hour later, there is still no progress.

11:45am- I decide I've waited long enough, pay out of pocket for a 5 day supply and let them know I will be calling daily to make sure the pre-authorization is completed. We then head back up to the third floor to get back to the parking garage.

12:50- We are finally back home and poor Abby has only slept on and off. I change her and she plays in her crib while I eat a quick lunch and unload the dishwasher. I also get a chance to quickly chat with my mom!

And, on and on the day goes with hanging feeds, giving meds, and squeezing in folding laundry, a 12 minute workout, and a quick trip to Target for mother's day gifts before heading home to do our night time routine.

And tomorrow morning, we are out the door at 7:30am for an ophthalmology appointment!

Stick around as I share the adventures of our family!

Fighting MMA style

I am not quite sure how to start this post but to say that our little Abigail has gone through, and will go through, more than any child should ever have to.

Daily injections.

Medications every 6 hours.

Weekly weight checks and formula adjustments.

Routine lab work.

But, she is a fighter. She is a MMA fighter.

When Abby's birthmom was pregnant with her, she had no idea how little Abigail's body was growing and being formed. Oh, of course she knew how her heart, lungs, and little hands were growing. But, what she didn't know...what no one knew...was how Abby's DNA was forming.

On October 28th, Abigail was born a perfectly healthy baby girl...or so it seemed. Within 24 hours, her body temperature dropped, her blood sugar dropped, and Abby became very lethargic. She was immediately taken to the NICU where many labs and tests were done to see what was wrong.

Remember my blog on the fingerprints of God in Abby's life? Well, they started long before we even met her. Abby's parents are from China and had come to the United States to give birth to her. They chose to deliver at a hospital with an incredible metabolic team...only they didn't know at the time of choosing the hospital that they would be needing that metabolic team.

As tests were being done and different diagnoses ruled out, the metabolic team stepped in and began testing for metabolic disorders. Right away, Abby responded to the medications and formulas that the metabolic team prescribed and once her newborn screen came back, it was confirmed that she had a very rare genetic disorder called Methylmalonic Acidemia, or MMA for short.

For the next 4 weeks, Abigail's birthparents were faced with the hard facts about MMA and the realization that the dream of taking their baby girl back to China was no longer a reality due to the lack of metabolic clinics where they live. They were given choices. Choices that no parents should ever have to make. And while her parents made choices about her life, Abigail continued to fight and do well with the regimen of injections, medications, and formula adjustments.

Abigail's parents chose the most selfless decision they could- they chose to choose parents for Abigail here in the states so that their baby girl could have the best chance possible to live with this very rare genetic disorder. And, they chose us. As a NICU nurse, I felt prepared to do whatever necessary to help this child medically. As a new mom, I was scared but so incredibly humbled that my husband and I had been picked by two amazing, loving parents to be just that- amazing, loving parents to this sweet baby girl.

At 5 weeks old, Abigail was finally discharged from the NICU. However, her life of being poked and prodded was far from over. In fact, it was just beginning. So, what is MMA and what does that mean for Abigail?

What is MMA?
Methylmalonic Acidemia, or MMA, is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder. Meaning, that both of her biological parents are carriers of MMA but do not show symptoms. Her birthparents have a one in four chance of having a child with MMA. Here's how- each gene has one copy from mom and one copy from dad. The gene that we are talking about, the one that makes the enzyme to break down 4 essential amino acids, gets a copy from mom and a copy from dad. Mom has 2 copies on each gene as well- her gene has one copy that is working and one that's not, making her a carrier of MMA. Abby's dad is the same way. As long as you have one copy on that gene that is working properly, it counteracts the non-working copy and everything is fine. However, when two people who are carriers, meaning they each have one bad copy and one good copy, have a baby there is a chance that their child could be totally fine (both good copies from mom and dad) a carrier (only a bad copy from mom or a bad copy from dad) or symptomatic (both bad copies from mom and dad). In Abby's case, she received both bad copies meaning she is symptomatic. Hence, Abigail has Methylmalonic Acidemia. This means that Abby's gene that would make the enzyme that breaks down fats and proteins does not work. Abby can't break down any fat or protein, meaning incredible complications if not treated. However, Abby was treated almost immediately after birth and is doing very well.

How do you manage MMA?
 Currently, Abigail is on VitB12 injections because one of the copies of her gene works slightly and the VitB12 helps that copy to break down the amino acids that make up protein. She is also on Levocarnitine which helps gives her energy. Abigail cannot drink just formula or breastmilk because her body can't break down the fats and proteins in the milk. So, she is on a special formula that contains the 4 essential amino acids her body can't make along with regular baby formula so that her body can get the nutrition it needs. She goes for weekly check-ups and routinely gets blood drawn to make sure all of her acid levels in her body are okay.

What does this mean long term for Abby?
 Right now, it is hard to tell. Our bodies, especially when they are little, need lots of fat and protein in order to grow properly. In fact, that is basically all the brain uses to grow! She is constantly watched to make sure she is hitting her developmental milestones, staying on track for her height and weight, and continuing to grow appropriately. Right now, she is in the 25th percentile for height and weight and that is right where we want her. There are many complications that can come about with MMA; however, we are praying that God continues to put His hand of healing and protection over her little body and that those complications do not become a reality for her. With every ounce she gains and every milestone she hits, it is truly a miracle!

Our precious baby girl is doing so well and we are so thankful that God chose us to be her parents. Yes, this road of MMA will not be easy, but how thankful I am that we live in a world of cutting edge technology and amazing doctors. And, how thankful I am that God prepared me many years ago to become a nurse. A nurse for many. But more importantly, a nurse for my sweet little girl.

Abigail is a fighter. She is a MMA fighter!!

To read more about what Abby has, check out this link about MMA !

Fingerprints

Fingerprints.

They are what set us a part from everyone else on this planet. And yet, they are pretty much invisible to the naked eye. They are something we never think about. However, without them, we wouldn't be who we are.

I've never been one of those people who believes in "good luck" charms or "signs". However, I do believe in a God who likes to show up and show off quite often. I like to call those marks on my life His fingerprints- marks of who He says He is in His word displayed in my every day life to remind me of who He is. I call them fingerprint moments.

I love fingerprint moments. And our adoption is filled with them!

For those of you that have been keeping up with our adoption journey, you may remember the reason why we began the journey. A face in China. A little Chinese baby girl with a heart and skeletal condition in need of a home immediately. I instantly fell in love with her picture and knew from that point on, I was supposed to adopt. However, we quickly found out that we didn't qualify, for many reasons, to adopt from China, so we pursued domestic infant adoption.

Again, as most of you know, things moved fairly quickly for our entire adoption process and on October 31st, we became homestudy approved and adoption ready. In the midst of all the paperwork and waiting, we were presented with 7 different adoption opportunities and had our profile shown 4 times, and we were even asked to foster a medical needs child. In the end, none of these situations worked out and we were starting to wonder why. Why weren't we being chosen? Didn't we look great on paper? Were we good enough? The questions continued as we continued to wait.

Then, on Thursday, November 12th, I received a FB message from a dear friend of mine who has 6 children and has also adopted. She was sending me the link to a 4 week old baby girl of Chinese descent with a very rare genetic disorder who needed to be adopted immediately. There was a picture of this precious baby and she caught my eye right away. However, we were in the midst of waiting for answers from Bethany about families who were looking at our profile, so we put the idea of this little one on the back burner.

Monday, November 16th, we found out we had not been chosen by the families through Bethany, so we began to entertain the idea of this little 4 week old baby girl. And from this point on, God's fingerprints started showing up everywhere. First, the way the information even got to me should not have happened. It was found by my friend on a FB page where the link was not supposed to be in the first place and as soon as my friend saw it, the link was removed. It was up for less than 5 minutes. Fingerprint moment!

 We called the agency that this little girl was under and by Friday, we had been approved to meet the family who was anxiously waiting to meet us. Side note- the birth family had become friends with a woman who knew my friend with the 6 kids and she and I had spoken a few times over FB message and phone. She gave my name to the birth family and the mother found my blog and read the entire thing. She was so excited to meet us after reading the blog. Fingerprint moment!

 Once we were approved, we arranged to meet the family at our house the following day, Saturday, November 20th. They came to our home to see where their daughter would be living and raised and to spend time getting to know me and Dave. During the conversation, we chatted about the baby's name, Cindy, and how my mom and Dave's mom both have the same name. We all got chills at that point. Definitely another fingerprint moment!

 On Monday, November 23rd, we were told that the birth family had chosen us to become the parents of their daughter, Cindy. We were so very excited and felt blessed beyond belief that they would choose us. As Dave and I chatted about the adoption journey we have been on, we were humbled by the fact that God had pricked my heart with the face of a little girl in China with medical needs who needed a home that we could not physically provide and still gave me and Dave the desires of our heart by allowing us to adopt a Chinese baby girl with medical needs right here in our country without all of the limitations! An amazing fingerprint of God's love, sovereignty, and grace on our lives!

 Tuesday, November 24th, was probably one of the hardest days of my life. That was the day that the birth family chose to sign relinquishment papers of their baby girl so that we could adopt her into our family. Her birth parents love her so much that instead of taking her back to China where she would not be able to get the medical care that she needs for her genetic disorder, they chose instead to find a loving family here in America to care for her and raise her as their own knowing that her medical needs could be met here in the United States. My heart broke as I hugged her birth mom and promised her that I would take good care of Cindy. My heart ached as she handed me the bag of clothes she had bought for this precious baby girl. And now, part of my heart is half way across the world in China with this momma as we are linked by the face of a beautiful little girl that we have now named, Abigail Cindy. God's fingerprints are everywhere!

The journey from last Tuesday to today has been filled with many phone calls, trips to the NICU to visit our sweet baby girl and anticipation of today, November 30th, as we signed papers to make Abigail an official part of the Woodley family.

As I sit and reflect on the many moments that have lead up to the culmination of today, I am completely overwhelmed with the faithfulness and love of my savior, Jesus Christ. He showed up and showed off when He placed Abigail in our family. But most of all, He allowed us to share Himself to Abigail's birth family in amazing, incredible ways! Adoption is the Gospel lived out here on earth. Just as God gave His one and only Son to save many from the sins of this world, so one mother grieves a loss as many are rejoicing in a gift. How blessed I am to be a part of God's plan for Abigail and how humbled I am that I was chosen to be her mommy.

God has had His hand on this adoption the entire time and in these past two weeks, I finally saw the fingerprints!

 Meeting Abigail for the first time

 



Love being a mommy

Daddy's little princess

Already stylin'!

Those cheeks!



Resting peacefully and loving being held

Our amazing, little blessing!

Adoption: An earthly view of a heavenly redemption

In the midst of something that is hard, you have to remember the "why". Without the "why", there's no motivation for sticking to it when the going gets tough.

Why do I workout? Because I want to stay healthy for my husband and future kids.

Why do I eat healthy? Because I want to stay healthy and fit for my husband and future kids.

Why do I go to work? Because I need money so that I can have a roof over my head and food to eat.

Why am I a nurse? Because I love caring for the sick and hurting and helping others in a time of need and desperation.

Why am I adopting? Because I want to give a child a home; to give a child a future; to give a child redemption from a situation that was not fit for the child.

Why am I adopting? Because as a Christian, I believe that earthly adoption is a beautiful example of the eternal adoption I have in Jesus Christ and I want to give back to a child here on earth for what Jesus did for this child. right. here.

Parallels between Earthly and Eternal adoption:

1) It's Costly
  In order for there to be a hope and a future for mankind, a price had to be paid.
Because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden at the beginning of time, all mankind was cursed with sin.
God gave Adam and Eve a choice and they chose their own way instead of God's way. Because of that choice, we are all eternally separated from God.
 God is perfect and He cannot look on sin.
 However, God loved us too much to leave us in a state of desperation. So, He chose to make a way to adopt us. He sent His one and only son, Jesus, to die for us. He chose to allow His perfect, wonderful Son to die; to take upon himself ALL of our sin, so that He could have a relationship with us- sinful, broken, hurting, depressed, poor, mankind- and give us the beautiful hope of eternity with Him in heaven.
 Our earthly adoption is costly.
It means we aren't going on a nice vacation this year.
It means we aren't buying nice Christmas gifts for each other this year.
It means we will continue to rent a home for a few more years.
However, the cost to bring home our adoptive child pales in comparison to the cost Jesus paid in order to bring us home as His adoptive children.

2) It's a Choice
Jesus paid it all for us. And now, we choose.
We choose to accept that free gift of eternal life...of adoption.
When we choose the gift of adoption that He offers to mankind, we become a part of the family of God.
Just like a family will choose us and their child will become a part of our family and no longer be a part of his or her birth family, so we also leave behind the birth into a sinful life and become heirs of God's perfect family.
With that choosing to become a part of God's family comes a choice to be like that family. When we choose to be adopted into the family of God, we choose to say no to the sins of this world- drugs, drunkenness, sex outside of marriage, pornography, crude language and behavior, stealing, lying, etc.- because those things don't characterize God and who He is.
God wants all of mankind to make a choice, a choice to choose His family and become an adopted heir of Jesus Christ!

3) It's Unconditional
When Jesus adopts us into His family, it's not because we have it all together.
 It's not because we look great.
 It's not because we do good works.
No.
 Jesus chose to pay the price and give us a free gift of eternal life with Him because...He love us. Unconditionally.
And, when we choose to be a part of His family, nothing can ever change that. We have taken on His name. We have been given the inheritance of eternal life. We have been given the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
And nothing, once we are adopted into His family, nothing can ever or will ever separate us from Him.
When our child comes home with us it won't be because they are perfect. Or have it all together. Or look the cutest. Or have the best genetic makeup.
No.
It will be because we love them...unconditionally.
When our child comes home with us and takes on our name, nothing will ever be able to separate that child from us. We will never stop loving that child no matter what he or she might do in the future. That child was chosen and wanted and will forever be ours.

And that's exactly how Jesus sees us. He loves us. He wants us. He chose to pay the greatest sacrifice for us. He desires that none should perish but have everlasting life.

Have you been adopted? Have you chosen to leave this earthly life of sin and instead accept the costly, free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ? Have you chosen to become adopted into the family of God and be given the inheritance of eternal life in heaven with Him?

If you haven't been eternally adopted, I encourage you to take a minute now and ask Jesus to come into your heart, to acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, to have Jesus cleanse you from all of your sins, and to ask Him to become the Lord of your life.

When you make this choice, you become adopted into God's family. You become an heir to the eternal life that Jesus promises to all who are called under His name...His family. No longer will you be separated by sin and sentenced to hell forever, but you will be a child of God with the hope of eternal glory in heaven...with your eternal adopted family.

This. This is why I am adopting.