Desires of My Heart

Since as far back as I can remember I have had a heart for fostering and adoption.  For some reason it's just something I have always desired.  That desire has only increased as I have been a teacher.  We have a foster family in our school who had three little boys.  The oldest was a first grader when I started teaching and I was blessed to see him graduate fifth grade last year.  The two younger boys are now in third and fourth grade.  These boys have lived a life that you wouldn't wish on any child.  From stories of running from the "bad men" to pushing away all affection because everyone they love leaves them, these boys needed saving.  They needed someone to love them and STAY with them no matter what.

And then last year it happened.

This beautiful woman from another state altogether saved them.  She adopted them!  I will never forget the day this woman came to school to get the boys.  I was eating lunch in the library when I heard that she was at school in the office to get the boys.  I have never dropped my food so fast!  I all but ran to the office and before she had any idea who I was I hugging that woman!  Through tears I explained that I had been the boys' music teacher for the past five years and that I loved those boys so much and that I loved her so much for saving them!  


Saying goodbye to the boys was hard for the entire school (they had a pretty big presence there :-)  ).  But we were all overflowing with joy.

Friday they came back to visit.  The adoption was being finalized.  PRAISE YOU, JESUS!!!  I didn't get a chance to see the boys, but the office staff took a picture and sent it out.  Oh, can I just tell you how beautiful they were?!  For probably the first time in a long time, they were just.......HAPPY. 

Of course that spawned conversation of adoption and how wonderful this lady is for taking these beautiful boys.  My mom and I have talked about adoption a lot.  She's thrilled for other people, but it's not her heart.  I was talking with some friends -- and it's not their heart either.

Adoption isn't something everyone wants (you know like getting married and having babies).  Now, don't get me wrong -- I want to be pregnant and bear my own children.  But, oh, how I want to adopt and foster!!

It seems to me that Jesus loves adoption, too.  After all, he adopted me!

"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."  Ephesians 1:4b-5

And I realized --

This desire is from Him.


You know, there are just so many minutes and hours and days when I doubt that I will be married and have kids.  But His Word says -- no, it PROMISES -- 


"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4


Jesus, I will take you at Your Word, and I delight myself in You as I wait.  Love you, Jesus!