"Our Journey" continued... Why Adopt?

The Folsoms' Story

By Courtney

I think many times as Christians, somewhere in the back of our minds, we think adoption is a great idea.  We rarely know someone who has adopted and we rarely actually consider it. Yet we think “Oh, that’s great! For them.”  I believe that if you actually stopped and considered it, you might be surprised.

Over the last year the Lord has opened my eyes to such injustice across the globe. In the past year our church studied The Hole in Our Gospel (eye opening for all Christians!), I read Jen Hatmaker’s book Interrupted (changed my life), Matt and I went on a mission trip to Belize…. In each of these events the Lord opened my eyes a little more and tugged at my heart even more.  I was convicted by how wasteful Americans are and how little the rest of the world lives on. I was convinced that I could not go on living my life the same...working, buying stuff, and fulfilling selfish desires. I was also convinced that Christians needed to be doing something about these injustices – that I needed to be doing something .

 Several months ago Matt and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. We started talking about starting a family. Each time we discussed it, I never felt at peace about it. During the year I felt like the word orphan was in my face every time I turned around- time and time again. In the spring I read the book of James. Wow. It was like the words jumped off of the page – ORPHAN. I started thinking about adoption but I never mentioned it to Matt, I didn’t want to him to think I was crazy.  

One Sunday after church Matt asked what I thought about adoption.  I almost jumped out of my skin. WHAT?! So from that point on we discussed adoption and I said things like “We’ll have some of our own then consider adoption.”  Each time I said this I felt convicted. It sounded so fake and (I’m sorry to say this) just gross. I felt like the Lord was leading us towards adoption and I was tainting it with MY timing and MY selfish desires and MY idea that I thought sounded good.  Matt and I discussed it and prayed about it for months. I jokingly say I felt like Gideon… “Lord, if the fleece is wet and the grass is dry, I will know it’s Your will. Lord, if the fleece is dry and grass is wet….”  I prayed time and time again and the Lord kept confirming it. Adoption and the orphan were put in front of our faces over and over. I wanted to be sure. I wanted to be sure that this wasn’t just something I thought we needed to do just because it sounded good. I needed to know it was from the Lord (although he was trying to show me – I’m slow – I need a neon sign). Well, he gave me one!  One evening Matt and I had prayed about it yet AGAIN. I prayed, “Lord, I am a little slow. I need you to make it obvious. Put it in writing. Let me know this is from You.”  That evening while reading my devotional these words practically jumped off the page -

“Adopt the child.” 

The devotion was about how God has great adventures planned for us. I could have fainted! As tears ran down my face, I promised the Lord I would follow Him, and I would do it NOW, in His timing.

Why adopt? First of all, I believe it is a command. We are called to take care of the widows and orphans (Yes, all of us). If you physically cannot adopt, foster, or help support a cause in some way, you CAN help other families do so. 

Second of all, I’m pretty sure the Lord made it crystal clear for us, and I’m not going to tell the big guy no!

For us this is as much about awareness and making a life change. I want every single person to know that EACH one of us CAN make a difference. We are put on this earth to know Him, love Him, and make His name known. “By this the world will know we are HIS disciples – LOVE.” John 13:35

For me personally, I just know I can no longer say I didn’t know…. Proverbs 24:12