Meeting Stephen

A few random thoughts strike me after meeting Stephen. One is that we are not just the family swooping into to save this little boy. God is placing him in our family for the benefit of all the members of our family. God has specific and rich purposes in his giving Stephen to our family, not all of which may even be known this side of heaven. God will grow me and change me as a mother as I  love and learn to parent this little boy who is new to our family. The coming months will be hard, yet a joy to serve one of the least of these in the kingdom. Please pray for us all that we will seek to serve with hearts that are joyful and overflowing with God's love.

Also, I wonder how little Stephen will grieve the many losses he will be facing as he gains his forever family. He will recognize the loss of some of them right away, from his foster family, foster home, other beloved friends, his first language spoken everyday, his favorite play areas, comfortable foods, the smell of his home, being surrounded by people who look more like him, and the list goes on. We have learned about how each child processes their grief differently. I don't know if he'll be more vocal or internalized, more energetic or lethargic, deal with food, sleep, relational issues, etc. I know that God will give us grace to walk along side him as issues surface throughout his lifetime. Our good and gracious Father is always able to meet our needs. He gives us himself. He, himself, is enough. Please pray that we'll be able to point Stephen beyond our own ability to help him, to our heavenly and perfect Father.

There will also be an adjustment for our other kids that is different than expecting a new biological baby. Some of Stephen's needs will be surprising for our kids since they've been brought up in our household since birth, they have not only been taught about our expectations, they have come to expect them in each other. That will be new for our other kids to realize that although he's nearly two, he doesn't know certain things about life in our family that they knew when they were that age. Please pray for us all particularly in the first severals months of adjustment to just living together.

God also has incredible purpose in giving us beautiful connections to Stephen's home country. Both Stephen's foster mother and father, as well as Auntie Ji Hae, will be very special members of our extended family. We pray will be able to keep this connections strong for his own benefit, as well as for them and the rest of our family as well.

Stephen is a bundle of energy to say the least and I expect to be exhausted for much of the coming months. Please pray for my health and rest as well.

Thank you all for your prayers! Our Father hears and answers!