Written by Denene Stewart of Hands of Hope
www.anotherstewart.blogspot.com
Darron and I had been blessed by the Lord with three beautiful biological children. We had our hands full and we were happy. Then, we began working with children from a local Christian youth home and we felt a sense of purpose and peace. One of the children in the home was not adoptable, but the love we had for him was equal to the love we had for our biological children. He spent weekends with our family and eventually moved in with us after he graduated from high school. Brandon still lives with us in the summers and is about to graduate from college. After our wonderful experience with Brandon, we began to wonder about adoption and if God had another child in mind for our family.
We couldn’t explain to family and friends the sense of meaning that we received when working with the youth home. We just knew that it felt right. So, we prayed to the Lord to show us His direction and what He had in store for our lives. God eventually led us to China.
We adopted Katie in December of 2005 and we felt blessed beyond belief. However, it was the children on the special needs lists from China that kept me awake at night. We eventually found a child born with a heart defect; atrial septal defect, on a waiting child list and decided to move forward with adopting her. Jessica was almost 2 when she was adopted in August of 2006. With 5 children at home and three children under 5 years of age; it seemed like our family was complete. Again, God began to work on our hearts in the area of older orphans. Most families who adopt, prefer babies and aren’t open to the possibility of an older child. In January of 2008, we found a 10 year old girl on a waiting child list who was also from China. This child had been abandoned when she was 7 years old. We prayed and prayed and wondered if God truly wanted us to bring her home and make her ours. We knew that we would be met with doubt and opposition from family and friends and we knew that it would be a financial strain. We prayed and prayed and struggled with the idea that sometimes Gods’ will for our lives is hard and unreasonable by the worlds’ standards. It was a sermon at church one evening in February that gave us our answer. “God will provide. God will provide. God will provide.” About the eighth time our pastor at Grace Community Church reminded us that “God will provide,” Darron invited me into the foyer with him. He told me that he had been struggling and worried about education for the kids, bills, time, etc. We as a church are to be concerned with the things that trouble the Lord. And, Darron and I were reminded that evening that God was concerned about orphans; not money.
As we prepared our lives to add a child, we still struggled with worry and doubt about how to pay for the adoption. We still had a large chunk of money due to the adoption agency and China. God’s original message to us that He would provide for this adoption still wasn’t enough at times for our sinful hearts and heads that worry. I knew in my heart that God would help us through it, but still, I found myself trapped in the sin of worry and doubt. Were we stretching ourselves too far? Had we read the wrong message to adopt this child? Were we getting in over our heads?
My husband told me that he was a finalist in a radio promotion to win a 2 year lease for an Indy pace car. We knew that he wouldn’t win; but it was an opportunity for him to spend some time with our two young boys at the track. He was the 26th person to take a turn and he let our youngest son, Nick, push the button. When the car started and everyone began to cheer, Darron said he fought back tears in Gods’ ultimate plan and gift for our adoption. We will not be driving a new convertible Corvette for two years, but we are able to take a cash option and will have the money to bring our daughter home. This was our wake-up call from God. It was if He was gently shaking us, saying, “I told you not to worry. I GOT THIS!!! Relax and enjoy the days preparing for your new gift.” We hope to travel late summer to China. But, I have to ask myself, “How could I ever doubt the ultimate gift giver and Creator of the Universe?”
You can keep up with the Stewart family by visiting their blog @ www.anotherstewart.blogspot.com.