Spotlight on International Adoption
What You Need to Know About God’s Ability and Our Willingness
The following was written by Darnell Duncan for her blog darnellduncan.wordpress.com. This excerpt was used with permission.
Have you ever experienced a waiting for something that can’t come fast enough…but is also coming too fast?!?! That’s how I feel right now. I desperately wish I could board a plane tomorrow and bring Claire home NOW! But there are so many details that have to take place between now and our actual travel that I feel like it is coming too quickly. Who knew so much went into overseas travel???
As for our adoption process we are moving right along! We now have our immigration provisional approval and our visas! We are looking at 6-7 weeks until travel right now!!!
CRAZY EXCITING!!!
God Opens Doors
I can’t even begin to express how God has brought us to this point and completely made a way with open doors. He has constantly affirmed His will that we follow this path.
I love knowing that the only way I am able to act on the convictions of my heart is through God’s sovereignty. I typically feel immensely sad when I see pictures of hurting children without families, shelter, food. But it is not my nature to tackle the difficult reality and I feel like it is not within my abilities to do something about it.
He Makes The Way
God is revealing to me that I don’t have to have some supernatural ability because HE DOES. I just need to give Him what I have and come with a willing heart and He will take care of the rest. I don’t want to sound like it is or will be easy, but I do know that our daughter’s tiny little life is so worth doing the hard. Isn’t every child’s life worth it? My heart breaks for every orphaned child who doesn’t have a choice. Millions upon millions…seriously!
We are all so invested in living the American Dream that we don’t think we have time or money or space for one more child. While that one child is waiting for us to pause long enough to let God show us that we are that parent He has chosen for that one child. I know God’s timing is perfect, but it breaks my heart that it took so long for me to see that He wants to use me in this way.
An update a few months later, two weeks after the adoption was finalized:
Tears also flow when I think about the work God is doing in many hearts – moving them toward adoption. I am so encouraged by those that have voiced new desires toward adoption because it reminds me that God is working on us all…one by one. I want to be used by God and I am humbled that He has chosen me to be a voice for His heart for adoption.
He Equips Through Faith
He has chosen many for this work and I am no more equipped than any of you, yet He uses me. I had read once “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called”. To see Him call and then equip, allows us to see His faithfulness. But without ever taking the first step of faith, we will never know what He is capable of equipping us to do. And we will never know what child is missing out on their forever family because we have refused to be willing.
Tears really flow when I think about what my family and I would be missing if we hadn’t been obedient to God’s call to adopt.
Ways People Helped
More tears flow when I think about sooooo many people that have helped us along this journey. God has used numerous people. Many in prayer…many in financial help. Others in encouragement. He has used family and close friends in watching our kids while we were gone and providing meals as we transition. Do you remember my prayer warriors that pray over me each day of the week? I could not walk a Jesus-centered life without them!! They continue to pray for me and I am absolutely privileged to pray for them…they have hearts on FIRE FOR JESUS!! Every ounce of help has not gone unnoticed. I WISH WORDS COULD BETTER EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF IT!!!! Chad and I are immensely grateful for the body of Christ that we are a part of because the body we know truly acts as the body Christ intended.
11 Lessons Learned This November about our Calling & Christ’s Love
Such a beautiful story! God moves people and situations in ways that we never expected or believe possible. There is so much that goes into international adoptions. Thank you for sharing.
God does indeed open doors and he loves us so much that he will also make a way for us to have our hearts desires. Many prayers & blessings to your family. Adoption is such a beautiful thing!!
As long as we are willing to obey God in anything, God will strengthen us to do what He wants us to do.
I’m thrilled for the way that God worked with growing this family!! We too have walked the adoption road, but it didn’t have the same happy ending, unfortunately. But, God is still in control. 🙂
I know a family that was trying to adopt a special needs child. Things didn’t go their way and they didn’t get the child yet I do believe God used it for their good as well as the child’s good. We just have to trust Him. And, that child will know she was loved and wanted by two families one day.
Thank you for sharing your adoption journey – love to hear what He is doing in your lives! This is so wonderful to hear – my husband and I want to foster and adopt, so this glimpse into your heart and life is such a beautiful thing to read. Blessings!
This was so encouraging! I’ve felt a twinge in my heart to adopt, but I always fear I don’t have enough left for another child. I don’t, but God does. I guess I need to spend more time in prayer about this!
Congratulations! And yes, God can do so much more than we believe when it is His will. We have friends who adopted internationally. It is such an amazing miracle.
What a blessing it is to follow God and change a child’s life for the better too!
How exciting! Praying all goes smoothly for you over the next few weeks as you finish the final details and bring your precious daughter home!