One Hope & A Bushel of Grace { Part 1 } Guest Post by Tiffany Clark

Tiffany Clark is a mother of six; three of whom were adopted from China.  She blogs over at Gingham & RicRac.  Thank you for sharing your story here Tiffany!

The Clark Family

 

November is National Adoption Month….so the subject has been on my mind more than usual.  I must say, though, that it is never far from my thoughts since we live life with six  children- three of which were once orphans by the world’s definition.  A day doesn’t go by that I am not .reminded anew of what a gift they are in our lives and how truly blessed (sometimes I even use the word “lucky”!!) I am to be their mama.  I have people stop me all the time to ask about our family and how it came to be.  I consider it a chance to share the Gospel but every once in a while I am met with shock at our decision to grow our family in this way…or to grow our family at all beyond the three biological children we were given.  To tell the truth- God has changed my heart so deeply that I don’t even remember what it felt like to NOT have a heart for the fatherless…and I have a hard time relating to folks who don’t “get it”. 

 But I yearn to be a doer of the word…and give grace to those who need it.  I certainly need it…in fact, when I am asked (at least twice a day) how I “do it”—I think they mean run a large household—I have to admit that I don’t.  God and a whole bunch of his Grace get us through a day of cooking, cleaning, taxi driving, encouraging, cheerleading, &  whip cracking through various piano, gymnastics, swimming, & driving lessons. Multiply that out by a husband, a dog, and 6 kiddos…whew…there is no way I do it all on my own. 

 So, with adoption on my heart lately- I revisited the Bible verses we’d held dear as we waited for each of our children from China.  Without forethought or planning, I realized they each contained the word “Hope”. 

Will, my husband, initiated our journey to Ruby nearly 7 years ago and it was a long and winding trip.  We waited 2 ½ years to bring that precious child home and all the while we professed HOPE as in Hebrews 10:23 tells us.

Hebrews 10:23  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for He who promised is faithful.

 We knew our God was faithful and therefore we held on and He did not forget us.  Ruby came to us with multiple congenital heart defects and reflux…which God promptly healed…both the reflux AND the CHD!

Anyone who has dipped a toe into the adoption pool knows that it is not for the faint of heart but not much time passed before our hope was renewed and I knew there was another child waiting for us in China…convincing Will was another story but I knew Ruby had a sibling—someone who could share her “story”…and through a turn of events only our gracious and a creative God could have invented…Grady became the next Clark…along with his clubbed feet and wise, old disposition.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Grady has been amazingly healed and no longer hobbles along on twisted feet but runs like the wind…giggling all the way.

As the months passed during Grady’s treatment, my spirit was unsettled.  I prayed and spent many quiet hours with the Lord asking for an answer for what He had in store for our family next.  I waited…and waited.  I thought we had learned all we needed to about patience with the last 2 adoptions.  We figured we were on to another new adventure…we were willing…we were able…but I wasn’t ready for the answer...

To be continued tomorrow...