Most of you will likely pretend you never saw this post, because it’s kind of an uncomfortable topic for lots of people. But I’m going to say it anyway. Recently, Nathan and I began praying that God will break our hearts for the things that break His. And He is. Our hearts have been heavy for orphans for some time now and the burden is not getting lighter. Literally millions of kids all over this world will go to sleep tonight without a momma and daddy to tuck them in or give them a kiss goodnight. When I look at my Libby, Caleb & Sara sleeping peacefully in their warm beds each night, I frequently wonder why we are the blessed ones. What if that was my child crying, cold, hungry, abandoned? Wouldn’t I be on the first plane out to get to my babies if I knew they were all alone in some other city in the world? Wouldn’t I spend everything I had? Wouldn’t I do anything to get them back? And if I simply couldn’t rescue them, wouldn’t I pray, pray, pray that someone else would go for me?
Christmas is the time of year that we celebrate God sending His son Jesus to be the ransom for sinful humanity. In a spiritual sense, we are all orphans wallowing in our own filth, abused, cold, sick, and dying alone. But God has compassion on us, even while we are still pathetic, squalling, unlovely orphans. He offers us adoption, a chance to become a beloved part of His very own family. He was willing to sacrifice that which was most dear to Him, His only son, to ransom us from our sinful state. If adoption is that important to God, shouldn’t it also be that important to me?
Libby’s Sunday School Christmas program this year has been particularly moving for me. The words to one of the songs the kids sang were “I’ve been blessed to be a blessing. I’ve received so I can give. And I must tell the world what God has done, ‘cause I’ve been blessed to bless someone.” The chorus to the last song they sang says, “Carry your candle. Run to the darkness. Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn. Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle, and go light your world.” As many times as I have heard these same songs rehearsed over the past 3 months, they never fail to get my attention.
There are two families we know who are at this moment going through the final steps to bring four precious children home from orphanages in another country. God willing, they will all be home soon to celebrate their very first Christmas together. These families are a light to the world by sharing the blessings they have received, and mirroring God’s unconditional love for us to their new children. 
Obviously, not everyone is called to adopt, but we are all called to serve. For years now, we have been praying that God would open the doors so we can adopt. While we wait, we’re looking for ways to help orphans and families who are adopting. Just last week, our church deacons gave us their blessing to organize an orphan/adoption ministry in our church. We’re nervous and excited about the opportunity, and we’re praying for God’s leading. As crazy as it may be to run with candles, we’re sprinting for those lost in that darkness. I have a feeling we won’t need to look very far. . .
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…" James 1:27
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