The Murray Family

A superhero, or maybe it was Simba in The Lion King, once said, “I laugh in the face of danger.” To that, I say you have never met Child Protective Services. All joking aside, I do feel like God tells us “I laugh in the face of your plans.” One of the most important lessons among the multitude taught this year, were that our minute insignificant plans pale in comparison to God’s majestic ones. 

In May 2017, Ben and I became licensed resource parents. After years of battling the Lord, we begrudgingly caved to His call for us to foster a child. That’s about the time our world started spiraling out of our control. We entered foster care with our plan to foster only. The Lord laughed and within the first 30 seconds of meeting our son, changed our hearts to His plan for adoption.  Adoption is beautiful. It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s a miracle.  It’s a clear depiction of the Lord’s love for us, his adopted children.

I fail to find adequate words to express how evident the Lord has been on this journey. Over the past summer, we faced a Goliath. CPS became like the terrified Israelites refusing to fight on our behalf.  We felt like we were abandoned and left paralyzed in fear-only we were never alone. The Lord faithfully moved mountain after mountain and defeated the giant on our son’s behalf. 

In the quiet hours of the night, as I rock my precious son to sleep, I am always reminded that in God’s perfect plan, she would be here loving him and raising him. Because of God’s redemptive plan though, I get to love him and raise him. What an undeserved honor. When our son was just a few weeks old, we hung a blanket over his crib with Isaiah 49:16 printed on it. Every night since, before I lay him down for the night, I whisper to him, “Rhodes, the Lord has you in the palm of His hand.”  Adoption is beautiful. It’s messy and yes, it’s complicated. But the Lord’s plan for it is perfect and good.  

We are anxiously anticipating December. After 16 months in foster care, our youngest will become our forever son!  

- Joanna Murray