Beauty for Ashes

   Traumatized. That’s the only way to explain what will happen in our child’s life when we meet her. We are not heroes. We are not rescuers. We are simply two people who have enough room, I pray, in our hearts to commit ourselves to parenting another child. One who is not physically born to us. One for whom we long to hold, to kiss, to sing to.
   To this child, we are complete strangers ripping her from everything known to everything unknown. How can that be comforting? A 2-year-old does not understand what’s best. This child doesn’t know that we intend to throw our whole heart and soul into her. This child will have every right to be terrified and angry and sad at all that is changing and is beyond her control. She’ll have every right to question our best intentions.
   We can hardly wait. She cannot even comprehend what is coming. We pray and long for her. In her mind, we don’t even exist. We understand she is a gift from God. She’s known loss and suffering already. We offer a place of security. She has no idea why she has to leave “home”.
   She may question our friends and family when they meet her. For a while, she may wonder whether they, too, plan to take her away. Why not? Other strangers have shown up out of nowhere and whisked her away. Why wouldn’t she be afraid?
   Helpless. That’s how we feel as “parents” half-way around the world. One of the responsibilities and joys of parenting is making good decisions for our children. For now though, we are helpless spectators who have no real say in any matter. All we have are hopes and dreams.
   But, God. Can you see the mirror here? Before we knew him, we didn’t know we needed or even wanted him. We didn’t know there was another way to live. We didn’t know that our hurts, our fears, our very hearts could be healed. He longed for us. We didn’t know he existed. We were afraid of all that we would lose. He knew we didn’t know what was best for us.
   I believe God can work in all of our hearts to weave a breathtaking family tapestry. I know God can heal this child’s heart. God has a plan and a purpose for this child’s life. God wants this child to know Him. I know the healing hand of God will restore what the locusts have eaten. He gives beauty for ashes.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3