He Needs a Family

Without any formal "hello, Mom!", she starts her entry into our home with a question.  "Mom, do you think __________ would be willing to adopt?"  I answered without hesitation, "I have no clue!"  I knew better than to just stop there; she usually has something behind her questions.  "Why?  Do you know of a child that needs a family?"

Throughout her life, she has been drawn to those who seemed to get themselves in trouble.  Like the stories of the person who could pick up every stray dog, she would gravitate toward the outcast.  Many times, she stumbled through and as she reached out to give hope, she also got pulled into the world often created by rebellion.

She has the scars to show and the testimonies to tell as she has walked through others' pain and her own. She has witnessed numerous teenage girl's pregnancies.  She starts to tell me whose child... and why?

This story is one of probably millions of children all of over the world...but this one is in our own backyard.  God sends some to mission fields and others He calls to minister to those in their own backyard.  What part are we to play in this story that tugged at my heart?

The girl found herself pregnant while in her late teens.  Her desire to have someone love her overcame the wisdom of giving the little boy up for adoption following his birth.  I have to praise her for not going to the local abortion clinic, even if the future for her as a single mother looked dim.  I heard of his birth and my daughter continued to try to stay in touch as this young woman began down the world of drugs.  My daughter continued to try to reach out.

The other day the grandmother (herself, fighting her own battles) called our daughter to ask if  she would take the little boy.  Of course as she told the story to me, through tear-swollen eyes, she adamantly said, "and if they don't want to adopt him, I am!"  Then she looked up and said, "well, I haven't asked Michael yet!"  

She will be married March 3rd, 2013 at the age of 22.  I couldn't see her starting her marriage with a 2-year-old, and yet my heart couldn't see us doing nothing.

Of course, then she had to show me his picture....and then came his name, Joshua. He was named after his uncle who is just a few years older and a child whom I knew from a young age.

The young mother will be spending many years in prison.  We had tried to reach out to her...we took her with us to church and had her in our home.  Just another story....there are so many.   So many right in our own backyard.  How this story will end I don't know, but this little boy is pulling on all of our hearts.  Yes, we are praying, as we ask God what He would have us do.  Of course my first reaction was..."where is he? I will go get him!"  The system is set up to not let you do that, but my heart just wanted to bring him home.  Restless sleep at night... tossing and turning as his picture crossed my mind over and over again.....divine appointment?... Lord what are you saying?  

My devotional just hours before my daughter entered the house....Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth............The life of faith says, "Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I'm going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word." - Oswald Chambers