Sunday, November 8, 2009

Orphan Sunday: How will life be better if we adopt?

(Orphan Sunday has inspired me to think of our adoption story, which begins here.)

Part 9

Johnny writes papers when he wants to explain his view or make a point. So during the days we were deciding whether to adopt, I tried to speak to him in his own language. I wrote what I hoped would be a persuasive paper.

Johnny,

I want to assure you that, in no way, do I think our ministry will be crippled if we go on as we are. It is rich. But I do believe that by adopting a daugher, God will add richness and depth and understanding and credibility in many areas of our personal and public lives.

Random Thoughts

  • In general, I expect that having 1 child at home will seem very easy after all our years of 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, etc.

  • Having a young aunt here will be extra fun for the grandchildren that will start to visit, maybe before many years.

  • Having a child again at this stage in our life will keep us from moving as quickly into older stages. It will shove us back a generation.

Pro-Life Ministry

  • The very act of adopting is a renewal and revitalization of our efforts against abortion and for life -- in a very new and powerful way.

  • Adopting would add tremendous credibility, and confirm our seriousness in the effort for life.

  • A person who is as vocal and visible as you about life will be very visible as a supporter of mothers, as a protector of children who would otherwise be unwanted and perhaps in danger, as living out the implications and responsibilities that follow in the wake of stopping an abortion.

  • You have a powerful voice. Even if your writing/speaking isn’t directly about Life and adoption, it will be there, because what’s happening in your life IS there in your writing. And you will be an influence to many for the good of children who need homes.

Racial Reconciliation

  • Our efforts toward racial reconciliation would have tangible credibility.

  • We would have personal experience with family-level racial diversity.

  • We would open ourselves to personal experience of how an African-American person and a mixed-race family is treated differently from the way to which we are accustomed.

Biblical Masculinity and Femininity

  • You will gain new understanding and clarity when your Biblical understanding is applied to the life of a daughter. I expect you to have strong confirmation of what you’ve understood and taught all along.

  • It will be a good thing for your promotion of these Biblical truths to actually experience and learn how to raise a girl to be a godly woman in a society that expects something else.

  • Maybe there are practicalities that you haven’t even thought of, that you would see when raising a daughter, and these things would expand your understanding and teaching.

  • Your speaking and writing and persuasion in this area will have new credibility, when you have a daughter.

Evangelism and Missions

  • To add another child to our family becomes the most personal kind of evangelism toward adding members to the Kingdom.

  • And considering our attitude toward missions, it may also be mission recruitment for the sake of the Kingdom!

Your Writing and Speaking Ministry

  • Your public ministry will be deeper and richer because we know that everything God puts into our lives comes through into your writing and speaking as a clearer, more pointed explanation of God and his ways.
  • We know there are angles of God’s face and aspects of his personality to be discovered in new situations he puts us into. We will experience more of God as we live with a daughter. And that deeper experience of God will make your public ministry so much richer.

  • For instance, if we adopted a child, and raised her, we would understand God’s adoption in a much fuller way -- what it means to adopt a person who is not part of your family and make that person fully a partaker and inheritor of your own life and family.

Being Radical and Taking Risks

  • I think it would not be fair to quote yourself to you to try to make a point. But I must say that very often over the years you have made statements about taking risks and trusting God and doing unexpected and radical things -- and I often hear those statements in the light of the radical thing I want to do, and therefore want you to do with me.

  • To adopt -- at our age and when it would certainly not be expected of us and when it is not financially easy and when it might make other ministries more difficult -- would be more than a token. It would say that you are serious about radical faith.
(to be continued)

11 comments:

notes on the journey said...

thanks so much for sharing your story with us. i have read it and have learned so much from it. thanks for the example of being submissive to the Lord and your husband.
praying for you and your continued ministry. my daughter hopes to go to Northwestern in Fall 2011 and i hope she gets to meet you. that is assuming she gets accepted :-)

J.M. Donovan said...

I really love this list ...and I love your heart that shares your Father's love for orphans. Praying that His will would be done in your lives, and that you would both be blessed in your decision making process.

vicduncan said...

I can't wait to just hear him say "YES!"

Marla Taviano said...

This is awesome! I'm so glad I already know the ending, or I never would have made it through this series. Too suspenseful! :)

Tomba said...

I am a husband and pastor. With that perspective, this letter struck me as full of spiritual wisdom and understanding. Thanks for sharing your story. Thanks for showing what radical living looks like in a practical way.
Neil Tomba

Guillermo said...

A marvelous telling of your story! I have followed Desiring God for several years but just discovered your blog. Our family lives in Phoenix and we have two daughters adopted from China when we were 'too old', etc... so the account is resonant and compelling.
Russell Leah Lily & Star McNair

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Piper,
I have loved reading this the past few days. You have a gift in that you've made me so suspenseful as I've read this, even though I know the ending. Thank you for sharing your story.
Regards,
Angela Marton

Mary said...

Mrs. Piper, I found your blog just recently and the Lord has used you already in my life. I have desired to adopt for as long as I can remember, but my husband is not so sure. :) We are young and have 3 children under three at the moment but I find myself even during this crazy time thinking a lot about adopting an orphan! Crazy enough, I didn't even think until reading your words to pray that God would allow my desire and my husbands desire about adoption to be the same. I've been spending all my time praying that just HIS desire would change to line up with mine. :)

I recently read your book Treasuring God...and I am LOVING it. I had a new mom ask me recently about a good book to read and I immediately told her about your book. I'm so thankful for your words and am excited to have a way to "keep up" with you on your blog. Looking forward to hearing the rest of your baby girl's adoption story! Thanks again!

Mary

Angela Snyder said...

Your story has been such a delight to read! My husband gets a good chuckle out of how eagerly I await the next installment despite knowing the ending.

christine said...

I loved reading this story. It is truly miraculous and takes pro-life efforts all the way through the years. What a blessing and encouragement. My dd chose life two years ago and my precious half-Nigerian grandson loves with us right now. We are also taking life all the way through the coming years. #helpandencouragement #babygigglesandmore

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