You know what I’ve learned? The more we talk about our stories, the more people who come forward to share their stories. We’re more alike than we realize. The more we drag into the light, the more light there is.
You see, when we first felt called to expand our family through adoption, we kept it pretty quiet. Not necessarily because it was a secret, we just weren’t sure what to share when. We didn’t want to put our proverbial cart before the horse. Guess what happened? We felt like we were the only people we knew who had adoption in our heart. We knew it wasn’t true, but we just weren’t making any connections.
Slowly but surely, we shared with our family and close friends. Then, of course, I shared it here. As we shared, more stories were shared with us about other families who had previously adopted or had plans to adopt. People offered to run races for us or connect us with those who had gone before us. We have heard the hearts of our friends that we never would have had an opportunity to hear. We have connected with people we never would have known.
The thing is, spreading light doesn’t make each light less, it just keeps growing. When we tell our stories, we grow in our faith. God gives us each stories to share to use to reach others for Him. While we are still int he beginning stages of our adoption journey, we have gotten a chance to meet and connect with people in all places of the adoption process. We have gotten to know more about domestic and international adoptions, foster to adopt, private adoptions, and quite a bit in between.
Just yesterday at the pool, I got to visit with a foster-adopt family that I never would have had the courage to speak to before. I wouldn’t have known how to approach them or what to say to keep from offending them. I love that I was able to speak in confidence, encourage them, and make a connection. I am so grateful God has given me the words and the heart to be part of the adoptive community.