SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23

Ephesians 5:8  -For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

Adopt. It means to take as one’s own; to choose or accept. For the past several months, our family has focused on this process of adoption quite a bit. We have endured piles of paperwork, criminal checks at the city, state and national level, letters of reference, and multiple interviews—all to then sit and wait. And wait and wait.

 The waiting has been the hardest part. Waiting to be united with our daughter, half a world away. A daughter that we loved even before we laid eyes on her beautiful face. A daughter that we long to hold in our arms and welcome into our family. Although this process has been long and difficult at times, it has been our faith that has sustained us. Our faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have trusted in Him and He has seen us through. We are so blessed to have such a loving God that has adopted us.

Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us that God has taken us as his own, not because of our deeds but through His grace and through his son Jesus Christ. He has chosen us and accepted us. There is no paperwork or interviews or waiting. He takes us as we are. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior, invite him into our hearts and repent of our sins, we are adopted. God adopts us out of the darkness and into the light. During this time of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, we are thankful for our adoption into God’s family. We pray that all of you remember your own adoption by our Heavenly Father and that you live as children of the light.

Tim and Ali L.