Family Is More Than Blood

 
This phrase stood out to me early on in our first adoption process. In most countries of the world, the blood-line takes priority over all else. This actually is why many children can never be adopted domestically, the culture says you shouldn't accept someone who does not belong to your blood-line.

In America, we tend to be more gracious on this matter. Yet at the same time, why does our culture say you should always try for a biological child first before going the adoption road?

Either way, my immediate thought on this matter - I love my husband completely and never, ever think about the fact that our blood doesn't match. It simply doesn't matter! Once we get past that point, then to love a child as our own who didn't come from our own blood, it doesn't matter. They are family! In scripture, to be a part of the greater Church family, we are family! All colors, backgrounds, languages, nations and more - if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then we are part of the family of God, together.

As we have been looking forward to the addition of our daughter to our family, we have been surrounded by our 'family' in amazing ways. This includes are biological family, our church family and the friends that who have been with us all along! The adoption process is long, hard and can be lonely at times as we are still 'just waiting.' However, in the last few weeks, we have gone into a restaurant fundraiser completely surrounded by 'family' to remind us we aren't alone in this process. We are seeing our 'family' wear t-shirts proclaiming who God is and how they get to play a role in bringing a little girl into a family who will share with her the Good News.

We are praising the Lord for this season in our adoption journey. Fundraising aside, we needed the physical encouragement of knowing we are not alone, and we have 'family' alongside us for the long haul. The easy days and the extremely hard days that are ahead of us, we know they will be there. And for many of you reading, you are that 'family' to us! <3 Thank you for being just that!