What is Your Passion?

A few years ago we went out to lunch with another family after church, at this time we had four children. It was a time in our family's life when we weren't really sure where we belonged and what the Lord had for us to do. As we ate, the husband we were dining with asked us, "What is your passion?" It was one of those dry times, we really didn't know the answer. But I couldn't get that question out of my mind. Surely we were passionate about something. Ken and I would talk about it off and on, but didn't really have any deep discussion about it.

As time went on we felt that the Lord was leading us to resume foster parenting and as we did we felt that we came to life. To reach out and touch a child's life even for a short time, to be able to show them Jesus as we went through our daily lives- how exciting! As we got back into the swing of fostering it was not necessarily with the idea of adoption, though part of me hoped that would happen. We really just wanted to fill a gap for a child when they were going through difficulty. As it turned out we would permanently fill the gap for two more children. We had found our passion!

We are passionate about our family and about adoption. We have wondered how the Lord chose us to be a part of His plan for these children. It is truly humbling to bring a child into our home, even more so when we are not the birthparents. God has put together our family and we love it! The Lord has grown that passion deep in our hearts.

In the Bible God speaks of the orphan over 60 times, He is passionate about the orphan. Below are a few of my favorites:

"Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82:3

"learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:35-40