photo NavIG_zps7563fd85.png photo NavPin_zpsd777ef70.png photo NavYT_zpsbdfa2471.png photo NavBL_zps47aef9ce.png


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Adopted

Friends, I invite you today to witness such precious moments between our friends Dennis and Carita as they see their son, Jacob, for the very first time. 


As you wipe away your tears, remember the look on Dennis' face when he sees Jacob. Carita's too. It's full of awe, excitement, anxiousness, relief, wonder, love, happiness. If a sinful father can look at his son the way Dennis looks at Jacob, imagine how our holy, perfect God looks at us, His children.

We had the honor of attending The Austin Stone last weekend where the pastor, Matt Carter, shared what the bible says about adoption, how he feels about adoption, and the Chen's story. Let me tell ya there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I was lucky enough to sit across the row from Jacob, who will be 2 in March who pointed at the screen saying "Baba" at his dad. The crowd giggled when the video showed his precious rolls in the bath and Jacob had no idea the impact he made on so many hearts, present at church and not. The Chen's were our neighbors for a year and we say all the time, they were an answered prayer. We'd longed and prayed for Christian friends, other couples to show us it was okay to be young and choose for your life to revolve around the gospel. But they taught us so much more...they taught us the beauty of adoption. 


James 1:27 says "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 1:27 doesn't make sense without recognizing that God adopted us into his family. He adopted us out of death and into His Kingdom of everlasting love and life, the greatest form of adoption there ever was. Worship in it's purest form is caring for orphans in the eyes of the Lord. Adoption shouldn't be our plan B if natural fertility doesn't work...we weren't God's plan B. Our Heavenly Father delights in our adoption of those orphans in widows, we are displaying the gospel of Jesus Christ.


I grew up knowing people who were adopted, including in my family, but never made the connection to God's adoption of His people. What greater gift have we received?! And how wonderful it is that we can spread that gift here on earth. Dennis and Carita have been such an inspiration to our marriage and future as parents. We have plans, but do they coincide with God's plans? God's plan wasn't meant to hurt the Chen's for years of infertility but His plan for them was Jacob, and this video, and sharing their devotion and trust in Christ with not only their church but beyond. I will always remember a story Carita told me about a nurse at their fertility clinic telling her she appreciated her smiles and positive attitudes, which were fueled by Christ. What a captivating way to share the gospel and the great name of Jesus? This family has given us full faith in one day we too, will become parents whether it be biologically, through adoption, or both. The Chen's never stopped listening and trusting the good Lord's plan. And after a second of meeting Jacob, you know they would have waited many more years for him. 


Jon and I are praying that we can obey the Lord's commands in James 1:27 and that our lives would be directly impacted through adoption. We aren't sure when, where, or how but I know we will never understand the depths of God's love for us until that day come. 

This is one of my favorite pictures of all time...me holding Jacob at his 1st birthday party where we got to see his adoption video for the first time. (look at those cheeks!)



Thank you for letting me share your story Chen family! We love you guys!
 
for more information on the Adopted series, visit this link.
  


34 comments:

Kait said...

This post brought tears to my eyes and a sense of fulfillment to my heart. Thank you so much for sharing. XO

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot said...

That video was so amazing and heartfelt. It gave me chills and brought so much happiness

Kelly said...

Dag. I was crying before it even got started!!! Such a sweet story. Love it.

Tami said...

Wow!! What an amazing video and testimony to how wonderful our God is. That moment where they met Jacob for the first time was the sweetest and I don't think anyone could watch it without crying. From what I can tell, there couldn't be a couple more deserving. Thank you so much for sharing.

Tanya Kummerow said...

Oh wow! Thank you for sharing this story! Adoption is strong on my heart and I believe one day God will call us to adopt too. I just sat and cried the whole time watching this video.

KRISTIN said...

I should have known better than to watch that video at work...but I couldn't resist and now I am sobbing. What a beautiful family & amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing Ruthie!

Bridget said...

Your right...tears! Very beautiful!! Thank you for sharing this!!

Meg O. said...

This is so incredibly moving. Yep, no dry eyes here. The part that is really sticking with me is how they said that his hospital tag said "baby boy" and instantly when they named him, he was theirs. So beautiful. So, so beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.

Lani Derrick said...

I cried through the entire sermon. Matt has an amazing way of sharing God's word. Looking forward to this coming weeks wrap up of the adoption series.

Megan said...

Ruthie, I'm sitting at work in tears. Not just at the beautiful video that you have posted here, but also because of the absolute beautiful post you wrote.

Never have I seen more pure emotion than this. Or read truer words. Just amazing.

Love the photo of you two!

Casey said...

Simply beautiful. Be still my heart! Thanks for sharing, Ruthie!

Carolyn said...

OMG! So sweet!!!!!

Brooke Hamilton said...

Adoption is such a blessing. This post is beautiful. I will have to tell you about Scott's sisters adoption sometime. It's very touching as well.

Erin said...

Totally cried into my salad at work watching/reading this. Such a powerful story, Ruthie!! I just want to hug your sweet friends and tell them how amazing they are!!! My sister and her husband are waiting for a baby to adopt right now, and I just cry thinking about how blessed they will one day be!!

Unknown said...

I refuse to watch this video right now because I know I will lose it! Hehe, I have always said I am the luckiest girl in the world to have been adopted by my parents. I am so thankful that was God's plan for me. :)

Lisamarie said...

That baby is so sweet. You look good, friend, with a baby in your arms!! =)

Anonymous said...

Crying my eyes out. Thanks for sharing this, what a beautiful story.

Unknown said...

This is so sweet! Thanks for sharing, Ruthie :)

Yen said...

Thank you for sharing this Ruthie!!

Monica said...

What a powerful story, and what an awesome testimony of God's love for us. Thanks for sharing, Ruthie!

Lissy Moore@Moorepinkplease.com said...

Wow, def brought me some tears. What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing.

Elizabeth said...

When he said "I'm your dad" - I lost it!!!

Stephanie said...

The Austin Stone is my home church and my boyfriend and I love it! When I saw this video, it brought tears to my eyes. What a blessing adoption is! God is doing incredible things in the city of Austin and hopefully the 270 adoptable children will find their forever homes :) Thanks for sharing this beautiful story!

Karla said...

*wipes away tears*

That video was absolutely beautiful and so touching. It made my night. Thanks so much for sharing this. At the moment, my family is in the middle of a mess from the leftovers of Hurricane Sandy. Seeing this video definitely reminded me of the beauty of life, and the beauty of God, and the magically way in which God works. =)

-Karla @ forevernewlywedded

Kelly-Belly said...

What an amazing story! That little man is going to rule the roost!

My prayers also go out to the birth mother...many blessings to her! God bless her!

C Mae said...

bawled like a baby. This was by far the best post I've ever read this year. So inspiring. What great people. God Bless to baby Jacob!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing this!! When i watched your friend hold his son & cry, all i could picture was God's joy & relief when the way was finally made for Him to adopt us.
Beautiful story!!

Erin James said...

Oh my word how beautiful!!!! Thank you for sharing this. Precious.

Ashley Slater said...

Well, I started crying when I heard the MUSIC. Let's just say I am a little over emotional these days. I loved this story... thank you for sharing it. I know if we aren't blessed with children that we can always be a blessing through adoption and give a child a home who really needs its, and the Chens are such a great example of trust and faith in Christ. LOVE. Love YOU Ruthie, you are such a sweet girl!

Whim Wham Life said...

I just watched this video the other day, (my friend posted it on facebook), annnnnd I bawled like a little baby! Oh my goodness, the picture of love that it portrays is overwhelming. And to think that God loves us even a million times more than that!? xoxo

Anonymous said...

What a powerful, beautiful story. I definitely want to adopt whenever I get married- it's just gospel lived out.

Hollie Ann said...

ruthie i am balling my eyes out.

what an amazing story!

Heather @ Finding Beauty in the Ordinary said...

I read this post last night, and after watching the video in tears, I spent the evening thinking about this... I just could not shake it from my mind. I held Eden a lot tighter last night and, as we watched it together, I realized that I take her life and the gift of her far too much for granted. Thank you for this and for this reminder that I so needed. I put away technology last night and just FOCUSED on her. Undistracted. Thank you. Your friends are incredible people.... Jacob was not only adopted once, but twice. Amazing.

Ashley said...

Thanks for sharing this! As an adoptive mama, I can tell you that adoption truly is a gift and has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. Yes, adoption was our Plan B in the beginning but we now know that God intended it to be the way we grew our family.
Love your blog... by the way, I'm watching your House Hunters right now! =)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...