Adopted and Rescued

“The Spirit you received brought about your adoption 
to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” 

Romans 8:15 (NIV)

Hayley and her sister

My young moms weekly Bible study group finished our Romans 1-8 study yesterday. The moms have done a great job with the material and finished well. A couple of weeks ago a young mom asked me to meet her for coffee at Panera. Since Mama's death, I've found myself with more time to "meet and eat." I had wondered what was on Hayley's mind, but I wasn't really prepared for the story that she told me.

When I asked her to tell me a little bit about herself, Hayley began her story in Greenville, Alabama. Both of her parents are committed Christians having served overseas as missionaries. Eventually Hayley's dad became the pastor of a local church in Greenville. She graduated from Greenville High School, attended Auburn University, obtained her Master's degree in administration from Samford, taught second grade for a few years; served for two years as a missionary to Honduras; and eventually returned to Birmingham where she served as assistant principal at Mount Laurel Elementary. Hayley met her husband at our church and they have a daughter who is almost three years old. None of that was very unusual or particularly extraordinary.

The next part of her story was what Hayley really wanted to talk about. In our Romans class, we had been discussing adoption as one of the key doctrines of our Christian faith. Throughout the first few chapters of Romans, the Apostle Paul reminds the Roman Christians that they are no longer slaves to sin, fear, or death. Instead, all who are united with Christ are adopted into God's family and are now the sons of God.  J.I. Packer writing in his excellent book Knowing God writes, "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption. Everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. "Father" is the Christian name for God. Father has become his covenant name- for the covenant which binds him to his people now stands revealed as a family covenant. Christians are his children, his own sons and daughters, his heirs. "

"I'm adopted," Hayley said. "My birth mother left my twin sister and me abandoned by a dumpster on the streets of South Korea. Someone found us and took us to a nearby orphanage. My adoptive American parents hadn't been able to conceive children so they decided to pursue adoption while they were serving as missionaries in Korea. My mom had always wanted twin girls. After praying for God's guidance, Mom went to the orphanage and asked if they had any twin girls available. The orphanage director, not wanting first time American parents to adopt twins, said "No." Mom left disappointed, but kept praying for God's guidance. A couple of days later Mom returned to the orphanage and insisted that her twin girls were indeed there. Surprised by the American's perseverance on adopting twin Korean girls, the Director admitted that two twin girls about 6 weeks old were indeed available. Because Hayley's mom and dad had been living in Korea for two years, the paperwork and adoption process was expedited and the two little girls became theirs.

"I'm a great example of how radically different someone's life can be changed when he or she is adopted, " Hayley explained. "When my parents adopted me, everything changed. I got a new name, a new family, even a new country. My life went from living on the streets of Korea to living with a loving father and mother who cared for me; loved me; provided for me; and gave me a chance for life. I've been asked to speak briefly at a Christmas tea, but I'm not sure what to share. Can you help me with that?' she asked.

I quickly realized that Hayley has her own unique "story for God's glory" and that God was giving her an opportunity to point others to Him during the Christmas season. I suggested that she contrast her circumstances and situation as they were before her adoption and how that all changed after her adoption. I asked her to work on getting her story down to 10-12 minutes and share it first with our moms group before sharing it with her neighbors.

Hayley did just that and yesterday as she shared her story with us, we were all blown away with how far God went to rescue her from the slums and streets of Korea. Hayley is a beautiful young woman who radiates life, joy, and confidence. Hayley's life story is a great illustration of our own rescue story and adoption into God's family. We are chosen, not forsaken. We are children of God. As such, we need to remember Who we are (our identity) and Whose we are (who we represent).

A good story always has three important elements: it's real, raw, and redemptive. Hayley's story was certainly that, but it was so much more. As she finished her adoption story, Hayley filled in some other important details reminding all of us on a Father who helps us gather our broken pieces. Hayley's mom had a gift for learning languages and she retained much of the Korean language. Years after the adoption, in a little Alabama town, Hayley's mom got to put her Korean language skills to good use, when the Hyundai automobile manufacturer built a plant outside of Montgomery. Hayley's mom was the only non-Korean person fluent in the Korean language living in that community. As such, she accompanied Hyundai's executive wives to doctor's appointments, school meetings, and even Wal-Mart! God brought Korea to Hayley's mom. And Hayley and her husband are pursuing adoption themselves! The Korean government recently closed adoptions to Americans, but Hayley and her husband are eligible for adopting a Korean baby because Hayley was born in Korea! Hayley's adoption story is coming full circle to bless another child.

All of us who are in Christ have a rescue and adoption story to tell. Most of our stories won't be as dramatic as Hayley's, but your story is just that: Your story! God has many different ways of using our stories for His glory. Be prepared to share a rescue and redemption story during this Christmas season.

We've a story to tell to the nations,

that shall turn their hearts to the right, 

a story of truth and mercy,

a story of peace and light, a story of peace and light. 

(lyrics from the hymn We've a Story to Tell to the Nations)

Our story for God's glory!