March 10, 2008

• the support of a pastor and friends

  This past weekend, I ran into Pastor Lam (senior pastor at Chinese Bible Church) who told me, “I was just thinking about you yesterday.”  It’s kinda amazing that the senior pastor of such an enormous church would be thinking about me — but when I talk to him, the personal interaction we have makes me feel as though CBC is still a tiny little church. 

  I always love running into Pastor Lam.  He really cares about me and it shows.  He’s known me since I was a senior in high school, remembers when I would spend hours in the church library studying the Bible and come over and bother him with my millions of questions, has given me great advice on how to love my parents, has even talked to me about ‘boys’ in my single days and has supported me 100% in my call to being a missionary.

  I told him about our decision to become foster parents — and to no surprise — he was very supportive.  He also asked whether we would choose to adopt.  I said, “yes probably.”  He asked if we would have biological children, and I said, “yes probably.”  “But you would adopt first?” he asked.  I said, “Yes, we want to do it this way so our adopted child would know that it wasn’t an afterthought but that we are really choosing him/her.”  At which point, he began to share with me that he had just preached a sermon about adoption — how God has adopted us and how it was His choice and that there was nothing we could’ve done to make God choose us.  And I just nodded in agreement, happily, knowing that we were on the same page about the incredible Christ-like love that is demonstrated when adoption takes place.

  Speaking of sharing the news, it’s been fun in the last few weeks telling friends about becoming foster parents.  We’ve been amazed at how much support and enthusiasm we have met with and how many people we have found who were either adopted, fostered or knew someone who fostered — and all of these people have shared good experiences.  Sam’s coworkers have intentionally stopped by his cubicle just to ask him about fostering again and again.  They have all shown excitement, interest and given us much encouragement.  As a result, I can’t help but think about how tangible we are making the love of Christ to them.  Now his coworkers will have a clear example of what God’s love is like:  He takes in the lonely and adopts them as family.  As Christ-followers who are following in His footsteps, we are able to point people in His direction.  And because we are able to point people to Him, we are affirmed that we are following God’s will. 

  • 9:03 pm
  • 2 Comments