We have had adoption in our DNA since before we met or married.

As singles, Peter and I had the desire in our hearts to, yes, have biological children if the Lord provided in that way, but also to grow our future family through adoption! And when we met and married this was a major confirmation that we were made to find each other! Our biological children, Lily and Liam, have grown up from their earliest memories hearing mom and dad talking about how we would one day add a brother or sister to our family that didn’t come from mom and dad but from somewhere far away.

To see this become a reality through God’s grace and sovereignty and care is one of the wildest most incredible answers to prayer we’ve ever received.

While adopting isn’t easy, and requires more time and money and headspace than you think you have on any given day, it also forces you to put your trust solely in the Lord and his already perfectly laid plans. There is no rushing adoption! There’s only waiting on the Lord … and then waiting some more! When the money wasn’t quite there for this fee or that, we prayed and waited on the Lord—and the money we needed was always there—even down to the wire, it was there! When family problems arose right after we started adopting, we prayed and waited on the Lord, knowing that His perfect love could and would cover all the deep family hurts we were experiencing at the time. In essence, life and all its trials and pains still keeps coming at you during your adoption process but it feels more acute, probably because you’re emotions and stress are also so heightened. But the CROSS is bigger. Every time!
We could never have imagined that the adoption process would change our faith walk so dramatically. There have been so many times when we could have–and maybe even would have–been acceptable to have gone down a path toward despair, but holding fast to Christ’s love, the Word, and His promises kept us above water and focused on the good plans He has for our new and bigger family! And even while moments were hard, adopting has taught us so much more about God’s Father-heart toward us, has helped us to revel in His adoption of US when we were still sinners, and to rest in faith in His provision and love more than we have ever done in our lives up until this point. Adopting has changed our relationship with our Creator on a fundamental level (which doesn’t happen often in a lifetime) and I look forward to all the new things He will continue to teach us about Himself as watch our family grow in love with their Savior!

We can’t thank Lifesong for Orphans enough for their belief in the story God is telling through the life of our family. We know there are so many families in need, and we are humbled to the core that we were chosen to receive a grant. We couldn’t have made it, financially, without their support and help, and we are so grateful that the Lord saw fit to bless us so abundantly through Lifesong! Thank you from the bottom or our hearts!
Ardently in Him,
The Smith Family

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