The following guest post was written by one of our incredible volunteers Jenny Deller. Jenny, thank you for sharing part of your story and for all you continue to do to bring hope to kids and families involved in foster care.
After the Israelites crossed the Jordan river, God commanded Joshua to build a memorial out of twelves stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. This memorial at Gilgal was to serve as a reminder for future generations that the Lord God dried up the Jordan River before the Israelites crossed, just as He did to the Red Sea. God performed these miracles “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God” (Joshua 4:24).
Looking back on my family’s journey of adoption, the instances of God’s faithfulness are abundant. Throughout our experience, there were many scenarios that seemed worrisome and problematic. We worried about making the transition from being called “Jenny” and “Tim” to being called “Mom” and “Dad”. We stressed about the decision to switch to our local public school. We were uncertain about the impact of introducing biological children into our family. All of these situations ended up working together seamlessly. As I remember these events, I still stand in awe of the faithfulness of my Savior.
During the first couple of years in the foster care system, my husband, Tim, and I went back and forth having times of great anxiety about the status and details of our girls’ adoption process (but by God’s grace, never at the same time). At one point in the midst of court dates and meetings with social workers and lawyers, Tim and I made a conscious decision to give up our worries and have a steady faith in God’s plan and timing.
And from that time until adoption, we both had a peace that passes all understanding. From placement to adoption ended up taking four and a half years. Though it would not have been our plan, the lengthy adoption process allowed time for God to work in our daughters’ hearts and made for a joyous adoption day.
Just as God commanded Joshua to build a memorial so that the Israelites would remember the Lord’s faithfulness, we should also remember and celebrate God’s faithfulness in our lives, whether that means building a physical memorial or writing the story of His faithfulness on our hearts. When I remember and tell our adoption story, my prayer is that God uses it so that others will know the mighty power of God, and they will always fear the Lord.