This is our family... so far.

As I searched the web for definitions of adoption, and sought to bring a spotlight and clarity to what exactly God is calling our family to, I came across many opinions on the subject. We know adoption can be a loving alternative for parents who may, for various reasons, be unable to care for their own children. It can also be an answer to prayer for many couples who have not been able to have children of their own. Adoption is, for some, a calling to multiply their impact as parents by expanding their family with children who are not their own, biologically. Adoption is spoken of favorably throughout Scripture.

The book of Exodus tells the story of a Hebrew woman named Jochebed who bore a son during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male infants to be put to death (Exodus 1:15-22). Jochebed took a basket, waterproofed it, and sent the baby down the river in the basket. One of Pharaoh’s daughters spotted the basket and retrieved the child. She eventually adopted him into the royal family and gave him the name Moses. He went on to become a faithful and blessed servant of God (Exodus 2:1-10).

In the book of Esther, a beautiful girl named Esther, who was adopted by her cousin after her parents' death, became a queen, and God used her to bring deliverance to the Jewish people. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ was conceived through the Holy Spirit instead of through the seed of a man (Matthew 1:18). He was “adopted” and raised by His mother's husband, Joseph, who took Jesus as his own child.

Once we give our hearts to Christ, believing and trusting in Him alone for salvation, God says we become part of His family—not through the natural process of human conception, but through adoption. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [adoption]. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). Similarly, bringing a person into a family by means of adoption is done by choice and out of love. “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5). As God adopts those who receive Christ as Savior into His spiritual family, so should we all prayerfully consider adopting children into our own physical families.

Clearly adoption—both in the physical sense and in the spiritual sense—is shown in a favorable light in Scripture. Both those who adopt and those who are adopted are receiving a tremendous blessing, a privilege exemplified by our adoption into God’s family.

Our family has walked in this blessing. Initially, through our  domestic adoption of our April in 2006....

 



....And most recently in adding three teenagers from Ukraine in 2013. The spiritual journey to them was grueling, but we now see it equipped us for what we would face once arriving home with our Hope. We needed the mountains we had encountered to challenge our perseverance muscle, to grow it stronger, and prepare us to walk through the hard stuff to arrive at a better place, and help her well on her way to becoming whole in Jesus.


This is our Hope before adoption. Before she knew who she is in Jesus. Before she understood the power in the name of Jesus to break every chain and set her free.



And this is her today... walking in freedom purchased for her by the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come... 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

 

Seeing the healing happen in our children is a tangible gift from The Father. It fills us with  assurance that Jesus is with us, and stands for us, regardless of what the facts tell us. It helps us keep walking when the days are difficult and it appears all progress or accomplishments are lost. It also fills us with  courage to step out and move when we hear Him call us to once again ... Go. 

 

 

  

Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.
Jesus also said, in John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commands.

This is all we need to know. As completely committed Jesus followers, we have no choice but one. When Jesus brings something to our attention, He is inviting us to be His ambassador and move. Being called to be His hands and feet means exactly that. If we are not moving... we are  missing out on the fullness of the intimacy with Jesus that only becomes available to us when we completely surrender every part of our lives, every part of our heart, to Him. He knows our desires. He knows are history. He knows our fears. He knows our failures.... and yet He pursues us, inviting us to become one with Him in sonship..in adoption. He chooses us long before we chose Him. He waits patiently for us to repent and invite Him in ... dumping all our baggage from life on Him. And He takes it, without judgment, without question, without the raised eye brow that many moms have perfected when looking at their children while "are you kidding me" runs through their head, when faced with yet another parenting issue.


In our desire to serve Jesus and walk in such intimacy with Him, Our "Yes" to His invitation was without hesitation. When He brought to us the revelation that the true fatherless do not desire second hand shoes or  shoe boxes filled with gifts, but a forever family, that was the game changer for us. It called us to walk where we were not comfortable, or without fear... but we never took a single step without Jesus walking with us. Nor did any issue arise that had not first come through His hand, for His purpose. It required us to trust Jesus as we never had before. And it was in the midst of surrender that Jesus shone bright in all His glory... and our faith was increased to become unshakeable.... preparing us to once again "Go". 

We have watched the online news sources closely as Putin tramples Ukraine. Our hearts break for the people of Ukraine, especially the orphan children. Such devastation of land and infrastructure and life. We have stayed in close contact with those we love who reside there. And we have spent hours on our knees, begging God to protect the people and fill them with what is required to persevere and rise up against such tyranny. And God has answered. He has brought to our knowledge 2 teenage boys who are now 16 and 17. These boys have been praying for a family. We have and I600a  that was filed with USCIS allowing us to petition to adopt them, even though they are both already past the legal age of adoptability. In the power of Christ Jesus we will walk this road once more. Allowing Him to chart our course and make a way. Confident in His ability, provision and protection, we step out. Our kids are ecstatic. Our parents are supportive. Our Jesus is leading the way and we know are brothers and sisters in Christ lift us in up in prayer and give sacrificially to make this happen.

I know there are many reading who are overwhelmed with joy for us, and filled with curiosity about our future sons. We understand, and we thank you for your love and  support. I will not be sharing many details of this adoption journey until we have approved referrals and the boys "YES" on file at the ministry in Kiev. BUT,  know that we do ask you to please consider joining us on this journey by adding our family, especially the boys who wait, to your prayer list. If God leads you to help us financially to accomplish this adoption, you can do so via paypal.com by sending a gift to savinglera@yahoo.com. If you are uncomfortable with online donation, you have the option of walking into any Wells Fargo in the country and making a donation there into an account set up for the "Higbie Family Adoption". Please know that we will do our very best to be excellent stewards of the financial resources provided to make this adoption a reality and bring the boys home.

 

 

Here ... to family.

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

To God be the Glory!