Psalm 127 "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord."
Back in June 2014, after completing our foster parenting classes, Chad and I got the call we'd been praying for. A baby boy needed immediate placement. This call brought on a ton of emotions that I had no idea how to explain or navigate, but my heart felt a peace beyond my own understanding. I just really can't explain it! That baby boy was five days old, and his name was Chase. We knew the odds... We knew adoption may never happen, but we were willing to take the risk. The overwhelming feeling of joy and excitement outweighed every other feeling. So, we opened up our home and hearts to the little boy who would very soon join the center of our world with his sisters. (our daughters)
His biological parents have their own story, and it's not my story to tell, but I will say this:
I'm so very thankful to them for choosing to have him and giving him a chance at life.
At 18 months old, Chase was officially a Miller!! It was a day that meant every bit as much to me as the day I gave birth to my girls. His adoption was final, his last name was changed and he is ours! That little boy will turn 10 years old next week and we consider it such an honor to be his parents.
When God made Chase, He made a very smart, athletic, strong-willed, tough little boy who defied all the odds that were stacked against him.
This past weekend, Chase got choked on a piece of hard candy, and the Heimlich maneuver had to be performed as his little body became lifeless. BUT, GOD!! The peppermint shot across the room, and he started to breathe again. Everyone in that house was given proof that God was there, and he brought divine intervention, which happened to be in the form of my step-brother. The thought of losing my son shook me to my very core.
My husband and I weren't there to witness this ordeal, but this is also proof that the millions of prayers I've prayed to my father above were heard. Even though Chase's earthly father wasn't there to rescue him, his heavenly Father was. Sit on that for a minute...
Daddy Issues
I have people in my life who have come to terms with the fact that a lot of the internal problems they deal with stem from "daddy issues," which, by the way, is a very real thing. Most little girls want to be "daddy's girls", which I was-it was literally my identity my whole life. I'm more than a daddy's girl now, though-I'm God's girl! "Daddy issues" is something that I can't really relate to all that much. Even still, y'all, it's impossible to be a perfect dad or mom! We can try all we want, it just ain't gonna happen!! We should still try though, our children deserve that.
Y'all can already see where I'm going with this, right? We have a perfect Heavenly Father.
I don't know your story with your parents. I don't need to know your story to know that God still loves you and wants to you to be part of His family. We shouldn't have to chase the love and acceptance of our loved ones or anyone else for that matter. If we chase anything it should be God and being more like Him! Which means, being different. Don't seek revenge.. Pray and give your situation to the only one that can really heal it-your heavenly Father!
Here's the cold-hard facts: That family member, parent, friend, spouse-whoever it may be that caused you trauma and that deep, painful hurt, yes, that is one-hundred percent on them. But, baby, listen-that healing you need and the way you allow it to affect you-that's on you! That's heavy, I know... but, I promise the words "with God all things are possible" rings true in every situation, even yours! Don't you dare let your trauma define you, you're better than that!! You gotta rise above it!
Psalm 68:5 "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation."
The Family Tree and Me
I'm typically very open and honest about my life, but one thing I don't discuss a lot is family issues and believe me, I know we all have them!! Our family has been through a lot the last few years. I had a little meltdown about a year ago over everything, and God made me pull over on the side of the interstate, it was through my tears that I heard him say, "My child, why do you put so much faith in man, even if it is family? I am your heavenly Father and I am all you need. Stop crying, you're loved by your family, but you're loved by me more." I dried my tears and when I raised my head to merge back onto the interstate, I was changed.
I love my family, they're my people. But, I know they aren't perfect and neither am I. We all make mistakes and fall short every day. All family trees have deep roots and maybe a few nuts, that's not your problem, I mean, unless, you are the nut! (LOL)
Even if my family ever did choose not to love me, I'd still love them because I'm part of a bigger purpose and plan. I'm part of a spiritual family in the kingdom of heaven and they'll save my place at the table of welcome. But, to be accepted at that table, I have to forgive and love. I can do that because my heavenly Father does that for me.
Isaiah 64:7 "Yet, Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and are our potter: we are all the work of your hand."
So, please remember that NO ONE defines who you are! Only God can do that and he makes no mistakes. Whatever happened to you, give it to God our Father. He will take care of it cause- listen y'all, He ain't going to adopt us and then just leave us out here to fend for ourselves, especially against people that he entrusted to care for us and walk through this life with.
Matthew 18:6 If anyone causes one of these little ones - those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around thier neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Adopted
I had to tell you Chase's story to tell you this: God wants to adopt you into his family. It doesn't matter what family you were born into, God's is better! It doesn't matter what your family name is, God's is better! We adopted Chase and try to give him the best life we can, even still, God is better! He sent His son to shed his blood so that it would cover you and run through your veins for the rest of your days.
We are children of the highest King, and what a privilege!
Ephesians 1:5 says that "God decided in advance to adopt us into his won family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ."
Jesus' blood is the greatest solution to any problem you could ever have because it's that powerful!
I never really looked at being saved as actually being adopted into God's family. But, He changed who I was and my bloodline. Y'all, that's exactly what he wants to do for you. He loves us enough to give us his name, He thinks we are worth it. We are the sons and daughters of the one who created the universe. Our Father created the moon and stars and the world around us. Our Father is the ultimate protector and loves us far beyond our own comprehension. We are wanted and chosen.
As an adoptive mother, my prayer is that Chase always knows that he's just as important and loved as my biological children. If I can make him feel even just the smallest portion of love that I feel by knowing I've been adopted by God himself, then I'm doing okay. But, more importantly, I want to make sure he knows that being adopted by God is the most special and wonderful thing he'll ever experience! It's a love far more amazing than anything I could ever show him.
I'm not the perfect mother, but my children know Jesus, and that is the most important thing. It's more important than school, sports, friends, and even their family here on earth, me included!
Thankfully, we don't have to go through a court system and wait long months at a time to be adopted by God. All we have to do is recieve Christ by faith and then we have the privilege of becoming his children and man-o-man, I love that!!
It's all about God's love and grace and knowing that He is the only one worthy of the chase!
Your adopted sis,
Michelle
