Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will – to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. — Ephesians 1:3-6
I am 37 years old. I have traveled the world, serving God, and have had innumerable experiences that to many may seem absolutely unbelievable but yet are true! Since being rescued by the State of Maine government and placed in foster care when I was a young boy,, I have always had enough. God has always provided food, shelter (even when it was living out of my car for 9&1/2 months), and my basic necessities; as well as many educational, work, and ministry opportunities that have been amazing.
My life has been very blessed by God, and for it I am tremendously grateful. I have never been a man to want or need much. I praise God that He has blessed me with a grateful and content attitude in this life. However, there is one nagging, persistent, and pain inflicting desire that has been within me for a very lonnnnngggg time! I STILL WANT TO BE ADOPTED!!
In 2014 a family stated that, though I was 35 years old, they would like to adopt me legally into their family. There is actually no legal age limit to adopt a person, in most states, and I was on cloud nine with this great news!! But unfortunately it ended up that they had rushed their decision and did not end up adopting me. I can not put into words how crushed and devastated I was, but God was so very faithful to hold, help, and heal me through it all. Here, 2 years later, as fully grown man I still long to be legally, officially, for all time adopted into a family where I can belong, be a part of, be loved and included in the life of my own family.
I share this today NOT to provoke your heart to feel bad for me. However, I share because I know that most people who consider adopting a child will usually choose a baby to adopt. Most children over 2 years old that are in need and want of a family, have very little chance of being adopted. My heart cries out and breaks for them, as I know each of them have an internal yearning, longing, passion, and desire that says… I STILL WANT TO BE ADOPTED!!
While it won’t be easy, I think the church needs to step up and become the inviting arms and love of Jesus to these precious children! Many children (most being over 2 years old) who enter foster care, not of their own fault, end up in a system of immense instability that lacks the security and blessing of being FULLY invited, included, and adopted into a genuine family environment for their whole life long! Often times the determining factor is JUST their age! I did not want to wait until I was 13 years old to be rescued by the government, but I wasn’t taken seriously until then! What if the church, what if you and I, step up and fight for forever families for these precious children needing a faithful, genuine, loving, and inclusive home and family?!
There is a silent cry, an unheard yearning and longing, a quiet and yet desperate need of a multitude of children: I STILL WANT TO BE ADOPTED!! As every follower and servant of Jesus has been adopted into the Family and Kingdom of God (Eph. 1:3-6), we can NOT continue to turn a blind eye to this need of many children (and even some adults) to be adopted. May the cry, I STILL WANT TO BE ADOPTED!!, be met by the church with a response of I STILL WANT TO ADOPT!!
