Sarah is working to finish our portfolio this week as we gear up to complete the interview part of our adoption process. God willing, by this time tomorrow we will officially be “adoptable.”
I’m not sure that “adoptable” is the right word because that kinda makes it sound like we’re looking for parents to raise us, but you get the idea.
Anyway, as we get ready to complete the second phase of our adoption process I wanted to give you a little glimpse into what has moved us down this path. It’s been going on for a while but it gained momentum with a question that has just two words: “What if?…”
Be sure to check out the video 1 minute and 35 seconds in:
Sarah and I were live at the event that you just saw. These words penetrated our hearts that Thursday afternoon. We knew then and there that we had been talking about adopting a child long enough. It was time to start doing something about it.
So a month later we filled our adoption papers and here we are.
It’s not the most epic story in the world but it is our story. It’s been a tough road. It’s been filled with a lot of doubt and confusion. It’s been filled with discouragement and people telling us that we are making a mistake. It’s brought the disapproval of some and encouragement from others. It’s hasn’t been easy to fight our own doubt let alone the doubt of others but we’re getting there. I loved one part in particular from Donald Miller’s talk at Catalyst 2010:
We wrote on the board, “What if we adopted a child?” And you will be not able to not do it because you will realize that there is a beautiful story waiting for you that you didn’t know you could live. And if you choose not to live a beautiful story it’s the same as choosing to die.
So as we get ready for the long waiting of adopting, we are comforted by the fact that we are in the middle of telling a beautiful story that we didn’t know that we had the strength to tell. I hope that you’ll continue to support us with your prayers and words of encouragement because we can not get enough of this right now. I also hope that you will ask the “What if?…” question and choose and exciting and beautiful story to live in the next chapter of your life.
What are some of the things that are on the white board of “What if?…” for you and your family? What’s stopping you from living these stories?
–Jeff
Jeff McClung 