Let's Talk About Money

Money and adoption, the two go hand and hand. Whenever someone asks me about our adoption, there is always a question about money. On a side note, this does not bother me. I find it to be great opportunity to talk about the faithfulness of God. While I don't feel the need to divulge exact figures, I do love to tell people about how big my God is. I love to tell others that when God calls you to something, He makes a way to bring it to pass. Anyway, I was just reminded of another event in our adoption that was a huge miracle, and I wanted to get it down, before I forget... again.

I will never forget the thoughts I had when I ended the phone conversation with Mandy, the one where we committed to adopting. Six months she said. Expect this process to take about six months. All I could think was "How are we ever going to come up with that much money in six months." We had no money. We were entering the slow season, and we didn't even have money saved for that. We had just spent every last bit to pay off our debt.

In the beginning, I was always scrambling for ideas to raise money. Neither Richard or I ever felt peace about it. It was hard to explain, and we even came up against opposition from a few people we love dearly. They would say to us, "If you want to fund raise, do it. It doesn't say in scripture that it is sin to fund raise." No doubt trying to encourage us, and for that I am thankful. Somehow we just knew that this was God's territory. We were to watch and pray. Fundraising was simply out of the question for us. I know this is a fabulous idea, and we are not against it, it was just clear it was not the way we were to go. Nevertheless, I still lacked faith.

Grants, then we must apply for grants. Nope, all those doors were shut as well. I wish I could say at this point that I was convinced of God's provision. I wasn't. In fact those first several weeks I was pretty much dumbfounded. This amount of money was almost what our yearly income had been averaging. It was beyond me how we were going to live and cover the expenses involved in bringing our children home. I don't know exactly when the peace that passes all understanding washed over me. I think it was little by little, but at some point I just knew, my Heavenly Father was going to pay for this. I need only trust Him. I did. We had several families that donated to our adoption fund, over those months. All in all it was just under six thousand dollars, that was given by friends. What a blessing. That was a huge sacrifice for them and we were and are so grateful. It is a fact to say that without that money, we would have come up short...about six thousand dollars. Isn't God good? So this brings me to the events that I really mean to write about in this post. I am so easily distracted :)

I was trusting God and hadn't worried about the money in months. We prayed for it, but had no worries. I probably had just patted myself on the back for my faith. Which is probably why the Lord had yet another lesson for me.

It was May, we had gotten the call we had been waiting for, our court date was to be June 2. We would leave on May 28. We had two weeks, and we were short a big chunk of money. I think it was about seven thousand dollars. No worries though, we had it coming. In fact I was expecting the check that Friday. I go to pick up the check and it is not there. I wish I could tell you that I was calm, cool , and collected. Trusting my Jesus. I wasn't. What I felt was complete panic. I had to have this money when I got on that plane in 11 days.

We had known for a couple of weeks that the company had split the area we worked in, and that we would now be under the Austin office. Details were nonexistent as to what that actually meant for the vendors. That Friday I found out it apparently meant we would not be getting paid. Naturally I call my beloved in a frenzied panic. Being the guy that he is, he told be to calm down. He was going to make some calls and find out what was going on. A short time later he calls to inform me that we will be receiving checks from Austin from now on. Oh, so our check is in Austin, I can rest easy. Nope. They would not be issuing checks until we all had new vendor numbers. They estimated that would take three weeks. Do I at this point thank the Lord for this wonderful test of faith? Nope, I cry. Lord only knows what I unleashed on my poor husband on the phone that day. Yet, steady as a rock, he tells me to calm down. He is going to go and talk to the new area manager. He tells me that "it just so happens" that his new office is at the subdivision five minutes from our house. He is in, and willing to meet with Richard, on Monday. Am I happy about this? No, Monday is too late. We will never be paid in time. I am still in a panic.

Now I must tell you, that this company that we were doing work for, had never been particularly willing to make anything happen that wasn't on their agenda. Ever.

Richard goes to meet with the guy. He" just happens" to be a believer. Richard tells him our story. He tells Richard his pastor just spent three weeks giving sermons on adoption. Richard tells him we have to have this money by Friday. The guys tells Richard, not only will we NOT have to wait three weeks to get what we already were owed, but that by Friday he would make sure we were paid on all the invoices we had just turned in. What, in four days??? Yep, in four days. It takes a minimum for fourteen days to get paid, and he is saying four days??? I wish I could tell you that I rested quietly in my Savior the next couple of days. Trusting that I would board a plane in eight days with that promised cash. I didn't. I worried a fretted the entire time. I wish I could tell you that when I picked up the envelope that Friday, four days before we left for Uganda, that I was confident it would be all we needed. I wasn't. I wish I could tell you I ripped open that envelope confidently expecting God to have moved. I didn't.

When we are faithless, He remains faithful. The check was all the supervisor had said it would be. We had all our adoption money. Not to mention the money to pay the bills for June and July. God had provided every dime. Once again, I had to repent for my lack of trust, in the One who is always perfect and right on time.

I don't know who is reading my blog. Blog patrol tells me there are quite a few of you. I don't know why you are reading. If you are reading and in the midst of your own adoption journey, wondering and worrying about finances. Rest easy in Jesus. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Trust Him. He called you to adopt, He will provide the needed money. If you are reading, and thinking about the possibility of adopting, but the costs make you want to run screaming in other direction. Don't. Yes, adoption is expensive. Every bit of money, will be replaced a thousand fold with joy. There is a way. You can do fundraisers, you can apply for grants, you can receive gifts from friends and your church. You can trust the Lord, who has place the idea of adoption on your heart, to provide. Yes, you can.