CONNECTING: Adoption and The Love of Community

Adoption has ultimately called us into the gripping of hands, the baring of brokenness, and sowing of hearts.  It has called us to the dredging of loss and abandonment, to the sifting of forgotten memories.  Adoption beckons us to the hollowing of self into the healing and redeeming embrace of Community. 

Journey Together Kiddos

Shortly after the adoption of our first daughter I found myself overwhelmed with change.  I was a thirty-six year old, first time mommy, who had no idea how to parent a child.  I had read all the books, and watched the videos, but I had no solid reference point I could draw from.  I was having an identity crisis and like sandpaper, I became overwhelmed with the rubbing and grating of thoughts.  I began to question my qualifications and abilities of being a mother altogether.  "You're not good enough."  "There's a reason you're barren."  "She will never love you."  The rejection I felt from our daughter in those first few months, {which is a normal grieving process for an adopted child} only secluded me further into unforeseen depths of inadequacies. Almond eyes, uninviting and avoiding, spilled with grief that would haunt my days and weeks after she arrived home.   

My life had changed overnight, and I felt on many days, ill equipped.  I had become overwhelmed with the feelings I had never heard anyone talk about. The rawness of emotion attempted to draw me deeper into seclusion and everything about my life had changed.  In those first weeks and months - a collision.  The great collide of me - who I once was, who I envisioned I would be, and the reality of who I was, attempted to keep me in darkness.  For months I didn't speak to friends, or old co-workers, or family, or have any interest in anything beyond drywall and drawn curtains.  

I found myself in a battle that had more to do with me than the adoption of my daughter.   I had two choices  

1) - Give it all up and go back to the old life I once found comfortable and easy, or 

2) - Allow God to excavate and unearth all I was hiding within my own heart to ultimately use me.  He would bring me out of darkness. He would call me into a community full of other adoptive moms.  These adoptive mommas would be the ones I would one day cry with, do life with, gripping of hands to connect many, many, more together through adoption.  

I am part of an amazing community of families that stretch the globe and together we parent without borders, because our Heavenly Father fathers beyond boarders.  These amazing children and families share their heartbreaks and their experiences with one another and bring every ounce of brokenness and joy into His marvelous light.  He has called us to share each others burdens, and I am so thankful I don't have to do this alone.  I am blessed beyond measure that Journey Together Ministries, founded by two of the most amazing people, brought together countless adoptive families whose children now have the privilege of identifying with one another as adoptees.  This was the community many of us prayed for.  It's a Community which seeks to encourage, educate, and share, because in community we will find grace amongst the broken beginnings of our children.  We can cling tightly to one another as we find healing, drawing us closer to the Kingdom of God; Because He wastes nothing, and uses it ALL!   

I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who predestined me to walk this amazing journey of adoption.  He chose the gift of adoption to draw me closer to Him and to seek Him.  Adoption and community have taught me that All is Grace.  

Adoption beckons us into the grace and healing of community.  Are you overwhelmed since the adoption of your child or are you struggling with infertility and longing to be a parent?  Is He calling you to find healing in Community?  I encourage you to be part of an Adoption Community that you will one day call family.  If you don't have an adoption community in your area prayerfully consider starting one of your own.   

Community  in Prayer

Doing Life Together

Community illuminates the love of The Father through the adoption of our children. And within community He has done immeasurably more than anything we could have asked or imagined.  

About Sharon:

I’m a Ragamuffin Writer, A Lyoness Heart; Chosen as a mother through the gift of adoption. I’m a wife, a mother, a nurse, a blogger & lover of Jesus. I love all things adoption both the bitter & the sweet.  I am a Daughter of The King most High, who was chosen, adopted, forgiven, & redeemed, and because of His love for me ~ I am committed to defending the Fatherless.

The Lyon Family