When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn’t end with God’s forgiveness.
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God (Rom. 8:15–16 NASB).
But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4–5 NASB).
It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but he does more. He takes you home. He takes you home to the Great House of God.
Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don’t mean to offend any biological parents—I’m one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I’ve heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I’ve never heard of an unplanned adoption.
That’s why adoptive parents understand God’s passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God’s ardor for his children, it’s someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.
God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
New pictures of Ava
Here she is... cuter than ever... 2 months old and only 8 lbs! :) The report said that she is sleeping great and is a very happy baby.
Some good news and thoughts from Rebecca
Most everyone who reads our blog has already gotten this email from us, but I wanted to post it here, too (see below). We've gotten some pretty good news since we sent it that I wanted to share with everyone. I won't go into much detail because it's a little confusing, but things seem to be headed in a good direction. Most everyone (i.e. UNICEF and the State Department) is now fully supportive of the amendment which will allow adoptions already in process to be completed, but we still have no idea where President Berger stands. We were supposed to find out more today, but we never got the email, so we're hoping to hear something soon. God has been so good to us throughout all of this, I really can't express it adequately. He has been more real to me during this time than ever before. He has allowed me to see the body of Christ at work like never before. We have been loved and supported and cared for in ways that I could never have imagined (speaking of this, we want to thank all of you, from the bottom of our hearts, for praying for us, emailing and making calls on our behalf (and Ava's!)... it means more to us than you will ever know). We have had the opportunity to pray and trust Him like never before. It's been amazing. On a side note, just being totally honest, I am now at a place where I have detached myself from the situation, and somewhat from Ava. The thought of not getting to bring her home is more than I can bear, so it's probably a good thing that I have kind of separated myself emotionally. It's not really even something I chose to do... it just kind of happened. Maybe God is protecting me, I don't know. But when I look at her pictures I see a precious baby girl who lives in Guatemala... not MY baby girl. I think once we know what is going to happen I'll be able to change the way I look at her and allow myself to connect emotionally again. Until then, I really am in a peaceful place and trying to see God in this time of waiting.
Here's the email that Todd wrote:
Dear Family and Friends,
For starters, thank you for taking the time to read this long email completely. I am not a big favor-asker, but I am pleading for your help to assist us in this situation.
As many of you know, Rebecca and I are in the process of adopting a baby girl named Ava from Guatemala. Ava was born on August 6 and is living in foster care. If you had asked us last week, we would have told you that we fully expected to bring her home six to eight months from now. We have now, though, hit the first real test of faith during our adoption of Ava. The Guatemalan government announced last week that it will not process U.S. adoption cases after December 31, 2007. This means that those families (roughly 5,000, including ours) whose cases are currently in process with Guatemala risk either a significant delay in bringing their children home or outright cancellations of the adoptions.
Unless the Lord moves miraculously in our individual timetable, and/or unless the Guatemalan government (Guatemalan president Oscar Berger, specifically) alters the law that was just enacted, our ability to bring Ava home any time soon (or maybe at all) is in jeopardy.
With that in mind, we are calling on you for specific needs. We would ask that you pray for this situation, and that you contact specific lawmakers and organizations to voice your concerns.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray that, throughout this whole situation, Jesus Christ would be glorified and that this would be a vehicle through which His name is made known.
Please pray that, if the Lord wills it, those families currently in process with a Guatemalan adoption would receive special dispensation from the current law, or that the law would be changed altogether.
Please pray for Ava and her foster parents as they go through this uncertain time. Please pray that Ava would be aware, even at 2 months old, of her Heavenly Father’s love for her and his protection over her. Pray that she would receive favor in the eyes of her foster parents and all those who care for her. Pray that she would be surrounded by people who love her, and that all of her needs would be met.
Please pray for Wil and Ben as they wait for their sister, that they don’t feel insecure or unstable in any way during this confusing time. Pray for wisdom for me and Rebecca, that we would understand their thoughts and needs as we go through this together.
Please pray for me and Rebecca, that we would face this time with joy, trusting that the testing of our faith produces endurance. Pray that God would use us during this time to amplify Christ, and that we would be constant supports to one another.
Practical Needs:
As I mentioned above, POLITICAL PRESSURE IS IMPORTANT. Below is a list of 3 people and 3 organizations you can call, 1 organization you can email, and 1 petition you can sign to plead the case for Guatemalan orphans. To achieve maximum effect, we have been asked by Gladney to focus our efforts into a 72-hour time period: October 9 (Tuesday) – October 11 (Thursday).
1. Senator John Cornyn (202) 224-2934 - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
2. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (202) 224-5922 - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff. Senator Hutchison is a member of the Senate Adoption Caucus.
3. Your U.S. Representative (you can find out who this is at http://www.house.gov/) - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
4. Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State (202) 736-9130
To these people, feel free to speak from the heart. Additionally, you can say something like:
“I am calling about the Guatemala 5000 Initiative. As you are aware, the Guatemalan government has announced that it will not process U.S. adoptions after December 31, 2007. Their announcement also indicates that there will be no “grandfathering” of adoptions already in process. If these adoptions are not fulfilled, roughly 5,000 children will be forced to live indefinitely in institutional or foster care.
As your constituent, I am asking that you be a strong advocate for the children of Guatemala by signing the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) sponsored letter to the President Oscar Berger of Guatemala and signing the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) sponsored letter to UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in process as of January 1, 2008 be processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.”
5. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Headquarters (212) 326-7000 - please ask to speak to Ann Veneman, Executive Director
6. UNICEF Guatemala 011-502-2327-6373 - please ask to speak to Manuel Manrique (we will reimburse you for the international call)
Feel free to speak from the heart. You can also say something like:
“I am calling on behalf of the Guatemala 5000 Initiative. As financial supporters of UNICEF (through my tax dollars), I am asking that UNICEF lend its support and considerable influence to the Guatemala 5000 initiative.
As you may know, the Guatemalan government has announced that all intercountry adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008. Their announcement also indicated that there would be no “grandfathering” of adoptions already in process. If the 5,000 children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care. UNICEF must get involved and help ensure that all intercountry adoptions in process as of January 1, 2008 be processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.”
7. Send an email to Joint Council on International Children’s Services supporting Intercountry Adoption to mailto:guatemala5000@jcics.org. JCICS will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for intercountry adoption.
8. Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition-sign.html.
If you have any questions about our adoption or anything discussed above, please call me at (214) 213-7476 or email us at toddandrebecca@tx.rr.com.
We appreciate your help and praise God for His steadfast love and unwavering devotion to us, His adopted children.
Todd and Rebecca
Here's the email that Todd wrote:
Dear Family and Friends,
For starters, thank you for taking the time to read this long email completely. I am not a big favor-asker, but I am pleading for your help to assist us in this situation.
As many of you know, Rebecca and I are in the process of adopting a baby girl named Ava from Guatemala. Ava was born on August 6 and is living in foster care. If you had asked us last week, we would have told you that we fully expected to bring her home six to eight months from now. We have now, though, hit the first real test of faith during our adoption of Ava. The Guatemalan government announced last week that it will not process U.S. adoption cases after December 31, 2007. This means that those families (roughly 5,000, including ours) whose cases are currently in process with Guatemala risk either a significant delay in bringing their children home or outright cancellations of the adoptions.
Unless the Lord moves miraculously in our individual timetable, and/or unless the Guatemalan government (Guatemalan president Oscar Berger, specifically) alters the law that was just enacted, our ability to bring Ava home any time soon (or maybe at all) is in jeopardy.
With that in mind, we are calling on you for specific needs. We would ask that you pray for this situation, and that you contact specific lawmakers and organizations to voice your concerns.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray that, throughout this whole situation, Jesus Christ would be glorified and that this would be a vehicle through which His name is made known.
Please pray that, if the Lord wills it, those families currently in process with a Guatemalan adoption would receive special dispensation from the current law, or that the law would be changed altogether.
Please pray for Ava and her foster parents as they go through this uncertain time. Please pray that Ava would be aware, even at 2 months old, of her Heavenly Father’s love for her and his protection over her. Pray that she would receive favor in the eyes of her foster parents and all those who care for her. Pray that she would be surrounded by people who love her, and that all of her needs would be met.
Please pray for Wil and Ben as they wait for their sister, that they don’t feel insecure or unstable in any way during this confusing time. Pray for wisdom for me and Rebecca, that we would understand their thoughts and needs as we go through this together.
Please pray for me and Rebecca, that we would face this time with joy, trusting that the testing of our faith produces endurance. Pray that God would use us during this time to amplify Christ, and that we would be constant supports to one another.
Practical Needs:
As I mentioned above, POLITICAL PRESSURE IS IMPORTANT. Below is a list of 3 people and 3 organizations you can call, 1 organization you can email, and 1 petition you can sign to plead the case for Guatemalan orphans. To achieve maximum effect, we have been asked by Gladney to focus our efforts into a 72-hour time period: October 9 (Tuesday) – October 11 (Thursday).
1. Senator John Cornyn (202) 224-2934 - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
2. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (202) 224-5922 - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff. Senator Hutchison is a member of the Senate Adoption Caucus.
3. Your U.S. Representative (you can find out who this is at http://www.house.gov/) - ask to speak to the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
4. Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State (202) 736-9130
To these people, feel free to speak from the heart. Additionally, you can say something like:
“I am calling about the Guatemala 5000 Initiative. As you are aware, the Guatemalan government has announced that it will not process U.S. adoptions after December 31, 2007. Their announcement also indicates that there will be no “grandfathering” of adoptions already in process. If these adoptions are not fulfilled, roughly 5,000 children will be forced to live indefinitely in institutional or foster care.
As your constituent, I am asking that you be a strong advocate for the children of Guatemala by signing the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) sponsored letter to the President Oscar Berger of Guatemala and signing the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) sponsored letter to UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in process as of January 1, 2008 be processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.”
5. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Headquarters (212) 326-7000 - please ask to speak to Ann Veneman, Executive Director
6. UNICEF Guatemala 011-502-2327-6373 - please ask to speak to Manuel Manrique (we will reimburse you for the international call)
Feel free to speak from the heart. You can also say something like:
“I am calling on behalf of the Guatemala 5000 Initiative. As financial supporters of UNICEF (through my tax dollars), I am asking that UNICEF lend its support and considerable influence to the Guatemala 5000 initiative.
As you may know, the Guatemalan government has announced that all intercountry adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008. Their announcement also indicated that there would be no “grandfathering” of adoptions already in process. If the 5,000 children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care. UNICEF must get involved and help ensure that all intercountry adoptions in process as of January 1, 2008 be processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.”
7. Send an email to Joint Council on International Children’s Services supporting Intercountry Adoption to mailto:guatemala5000@jcics.org. JCICS will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for intercountry adoption.
8. Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition-sign.html.
If you have any questions about our adoption or anything discussed above, please call me at (214) 213-7476 or email us at toddandrebecca@tx.rr.com.
We appreciate your help and praise God for His steadfast love and unwavering devotion to us, His adopted children.
Todd and Rebecca
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