Adoption story: John and Kimberly

I was honored to work with John and Kimberly on the path to building their beautiful family!  This is a family who loves big. They are invested in their local church, and their faith was truly inspiring to me as we walked this adoption journey together. 

They joined the CAC family in early March, and eagerly started on their home study. 

Kimberly shared a few words below that I hope will encourage you as well! The Lord has done a mighty work in their lives, and building beauty from ashes.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Very few truly know what John and I have been through in the last three years as a family…. we have had ups and downs that caused us to truly seek God’s will in the midst of turmoil. God’s will wasn't necessarily what we thought our lives would look like. We, like most people, have a vision of what things should look like and what we accept, but as God sits back and allows you to go down your own road,  He is right there the whole time waiting for you to admit your way is wrong. And maybe just maybe with a little bit of trust and faith, He could turn something horrible and painful into something beautiful! 

So here is our testimony:

When our daughter Chloe turned 1 in November of 2013, we started trying to have another baby. This would be a very long and disappointing journey.

Fast forward a year to March 8 of 2014. We returned from an out of state trip to find out our home had burned!  This was completely devastating to us.

Fast forward about another year to July 12, 2015, when we had to tear our home down due to all the mold and other damage that resulted from the fire. 

At that moment, exhausted and defeated, we sat down and prayed like never before.  We sought the Lord like never before, realizing that only He could re-write this story.

We felt as though God said, “okay, you are in the best position you could be in for me to show you what I can do.” 

We listened, and changed careers, which removed a lot of the stress out of our lives. 

We still struggled with not being pregnant. We felt very strongly that there was a child who would join our family. It was extremely difficult to deal with the issues with our home, and the sorrow that resulted from not having another child join our family.

 In January 2016,  we felt as though God was asking, “Are you ready to do things my way?”

 We both said yes and started a journey we never could have imagined. 

God had been laying adoption on our hearts for months, but we ignored it until that point.

On March 8 2016, (the same date as the fire that destroyed our home — but we did not really think much about it at the time) we signed up with Christian Adoption Consultants. 

Within a month and a half we were home study ready and able to start applying to agencies. With the help of our God-sent friend and consultant Gretchen McWhorter, we were on our way, still nervous, but we prayed always!!! 

We had several situations about expectant moms come our way, and we would always read them, pray over them, but never felt led to act on them. 

On June 23rd, Gretchen asked if we wanted to look at a situation …. We looked at the details, and prayed, prayed, prayed,  and prayed some more!! We were both at peace and knew this was right for our family.  And although this sweet expectant mama looked at several family profile books, she chose us to raise her sweet baby boy.  (There’s an entirely additional story about texts with Gretchen and how we learned that we had been selected!!)

Amazingly, we learned on July 12, 2016 (the anniversary of our home being torn down) we officially matched!

We set in for a bit of a wait.  But — this sweet baby boy arrived early, and was completely perfect and beautiful! I was waiting in the hospital waiting area as his brave birth mom had an emergency c-section.

As I sit here on September 1st with my beautiful baby boy in my arms, all I can think is, “Wow, wow, wow!! Thank you God!!”

Not only did he make us a family of four, but The Lord took two completely horrible days in our lives and turned them into pure blessings. Within 6 months, God revealed HIS plan to us and we couldn't be more blessed and so undeserving of what God has given us. 

 I hope that our testimony would help someone realize submitting to God’s will isn't a weakness at all —- it’s the greatest thing you can do. We had to admit so many times in this adoption process that we had no control, and pray for God to handle it. 

We had to leave our concerns at the Cross, and in return God gave us a Peace we have never felt before and a path only He could have put together with His grace and His love. He redeemed all of the struggles and sadness in a way that only He could do.

With all that said — we would like to introduce our beautiful son, John Robert, born healthy and beautiful at 6 pounds, 13oz 19in long.

Congratulations, John and Kimberly!  I am so blessed to call you friends!  Your faith and sweet hearts were an inspiration to me as I had the honor of walking through this adoption with you.  All Glory to God for the great things HE hath done.