10 days to go, September 2011
Dear Ari and Elli,
There was once a man named John Newton. John is famous for a song he wrote called Amazing Grace.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
Most books written about John, tell about his radical conversion from a wretched slave trader to a pastor. His dramatic conversion reminds me of Saul's conversion to Paul. Both stories tell of men who were very bad that turned good because of God's grace on them. But what most people don't know, is that John Newton adopted two little girls and later wrote beautiful letters to them.
My purpose in writing you is to share my deepest, unimaginable love for you, to encourage you to accept our love and share it throughout your blessed life, and to encourage you dear children;
"when you look at the sun I wish it may lead your thoughts to him who made it, and who placed it in the sky, not only to give us light, but to be the brightest, noblest emblem of himself; there is but one sun, and there needs not be another; so there is but one Saviour; but he is complete and all-sufficient, the Sun of righteousness, the fountain of life and comfort; his beams, wherever they reach, bring healing, strength, peace, and joy to the soul. Pray to him, my dears, to shine forth and reveal himself to you. O how different is he from all that you have ever seen with your bodily eyes! He is the sun of the soul, and he can make you as sensible of his presence as you are of the sunshine at noonday; and when once you obtain clear sight of him, a thousand little things which have hitherto engaged your attention, will, in a manner, disappear.
As by the light of op'ning day
The stars are all conceal'd;
So earthly beauties fade away
When Jesus is reveal'd.
I entreat, I charge you to ask him every day to show himself to you. Think of him as being always with you ; about your path by day, about your bed by night, nearer to you than any object you can see, though you see him not ; whether you are sitting or walking, in company or alone. People often consider God as if he saw them from a great distance : but this is wrong; for though he be in heaven, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him ; he is as much with us as with the angels ; in him we live, and move, and have our being ; as we live in the air which surrounds us, and is within us, so that it cannot be separated from us a moment. And whatever thoughts you can obtain of God from the Scripture, as great, holy, wise, and good, endeavor to apply them all to Jesus Christ, who once died upon the cross, for he is the true God and eternal life, and though he be the King of kings and Lord of lords, and rules over all; he is so compassionate, that he will hear and answer the prayer of a child. Seek him, and you shall find him ; whatever else you seek, you may be disappointed, but he is never sought in vain."
I loved you before I knew you...
After your oldest brother Luke was born, God first put the thought in my heart to adopt. I didn't really know why at that point, I was just figuring out how to hold a baby and change a diaper (yuck), but that idea was there and not going away. There was just this thought that life's circumstances can leave children without a mom and a dad and if we were not open to love and give these children a home, then who would? It was in these moments that my love started taking root and God started giving me the capacity to love you. We read a verse in the Bible in the book of James chapter 1 verse 27 that says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
So indeed it was God that was stirring deep within us this desire to adopt you!
After discussing it, mom and I both decided to try and have another child and a few years after Luke, Silas was born.
It took us a few years to get control of life again, but after doing so we started looking into adopting again. A few years ago, we took some training classes and ultimately decided to wait until the boys got a little bit older.
As you grow older, you will find great examples of faith and obedience by your friends and family. We had many of those examples that we had witnessed adopt children and they provided encouragement to us. Without them, I don't know that we would have had the courage or resolve to do it; so I thank God for them and he knows the reward they will receive.
That brings us to this year 2011 on a cold, dreary day in January.
Mom and dad sat in our great room. The one by the fireplace. I remember it vividly as if it was yesterday. The snow was falling outside the big windows as we discussed adopting you. "If you won't give these children a loving home, then who will?" turned into "if now is not the time, then when?" We both agreed that we would and now was the time! How appropriate that we were having Russian weather outside? At that moment, our love sprouted its beautiful wings and we started loving you despite never having met you!
Ya Tebya Lyublyu,
Papa
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