How to Trust God’s Sacred Plan Is Better Than Your Own
Joy’s brown eyes danced as hubby twirled her around a room designed just for her. White scrolled furniture spun dreams of princesses and our hopes of becoming her parents. Only three and a half years old, Joy stole our hearts from the first smile.
It had taken a year and a half for this moment to arrive. The adoption process had begun. We traveled miles to pick up Joy and meet her foster mother for our weekend visit. Caring words threaded my conversation with the foster mother, but the woman was inconsolable.
On the drive back home, we refocused and thanked God. The afternoon began with a cozy reading time with Joy and our nine-year-old son Tim. Splashing in the toddler pool followed and riding Tim’s trike with neighborhood friends brought smiles. That night, we tucked Joy under her heart-dotted comforter, covered her hands in prayer, and hugged her “good night.”
Ice skating lessons and church wrapped up our time together. We returned Joy to her foster home and I hugged her goodbye. She clung tightly to my neck until her foster mother yanked Joy away. Wailing, the girl flung herself against the couch. Distress pinged off the walls. I tried to praise God silently.
Visits with Joy continued, but changes loomed as the foster mother contemplated adoption.
Court hearings began. At the first one, the foster mother gripped Joy’s hand proving attachment. We demonstrated Joy’s growing bond with us through photos of family times together. The judge dismissed our photos and sliced visits to every other weekend.
God, what are You doing? We gathered prayer warriors from church and the Christian school where I worked. Above all else, I wanted to trust God whatever the outcome.
After nine months, we lost Joy. Standing outside the courtroom, Tom held me as sobs wracked my body.
God, why did You lead us down this path? A familiar scripture comforted me: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9 NIV)
In grief, we prayed and sought help from a Christian counselor. He suggested reading “Sacred Surprises.” Others’ stories of unanswered prayers and God’s better plan spurred us to try again. Time was limited as Tom’s job was moving us out of state. We opened wide the doors of our search. Private. International. Even county.
God’s Sacred Plan
Los Angeles County called. Do we dare try them again? They wanted us to meet Jordan, a five-and-a-half-year-old boy who was being cleared for adoption. “Lord, is this the child?”
Anxiety zipped as we prepared to meet Jordan. His foster mother warmly welcomed us as she introduced a shy-looking boy. “This is my sweet, sweet Jordan,” she said. He politely said “Excuse me,” as he walked in front of us.
We took Jordan to Burger King that day under the watchful eyes of the social workers. It was his first time to jump through the balls in the play area.
The next week, the judge required us to contact Jordan each day. On Monday, we called. On Tuesday, we took him to a museum. On Wednesday, he visited our home, and on Thursday, he moved in.
In less than a week, we were certified. We had another son! Our hearts rose in gratitude. When God decides what is right, nothing stands in His way.
We welcomed Jordan into our family and celebrated the new love in our lives with Thomas the Tank toys, a cake, photos—everything that screamed, “Boy!”
Adjusting to God’s Perfect Plan
Jordan was cheerful but had some difficulty adjusting. We worked on building a warm, caring environment in only a week. We rented a Snoopy movie (his favorite character), served popcorn, and cuddled in front of the TV. Halfway through the movie, he stood up, lips curled down, and headed for his bedroom. Our hearts broke.
The next day I took him to see his foster mother, allowing him to be part of the routine he had known. Returning to our home, Jordan asked, “Why was I the one who had to leave?” I sensed the unasked question, What did I do wrong?
I prayed, Lord, give me the right words. “You are special, Jordan. We chose you out of all the children because we love you and want to be your forever Mom and Dad.”
To help him adjust, we phoned his foster mother every day and visited often. She embraced us graciously as Jordan’s new parents.
On that first Mother’s Day together, we gathered our new family for dinner out and time at a park. Jordan and Tim spun in dizzying circles on the merry-go-round and pumped high on the swings. As I watched, my heart lifted gratitude to God for showing us how to make Jordan feel he belonged.
Our move to the new state came quickly, and our boys found a playful way to help us unpack. One afternoon I heard laughter and saw two rascals in boxes tumbling down the stairs. Love and gratitude overflowed for our new son and the family God had created.
Sometimes, God’s perfect plan is not the one we imagine. While Joy captured our hearts for a time, our love for Jordan is without end.
Meet Janis Van Keuren
Janis Van Keuren has been captivated by the heartbeat of people’s stories since her early years as a professional writer. An award-winning author and freelance writer, her feature articles have appeared in company and Christian publications, local newspapers, and a Guideposts compilation. As editor and writer for a Christian community, she recounted members’ stories of God’s work in their lives.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
