I can't stop thinking about my friends Cason and Colleen.
The short of it is, they were adopting a child domestically. He was born 3 months early, and weighed in at 2lbs 6oz.
They rushed to the hospital to love on and care for the birth mother and their new son, Asher. For a week, they held him in the NICU, and were told that the adoption would be finalized. Then, yesterday, as they are holding and praying over their son, the birth father showed up at the hospital. Turns out, the birth mother had lied to him and to them, and now he has chosen to retain custody of his son. Their only hope is a paternity test. Complete and utter devastation.
To top it off, this is not the first time they have experienced such heartbreak. They served for a year as missionaries in Kenya. During their time there, they worked at an orphanage. They fell in love with a set of abandoned triplets, and began the process to adopt them.
Everything was going great, and they had plans to bring their new children home for Christmas, when a distant relative showed up and decided to take the children. In subsequent follow ups, they learned that the children were not being well cared for.
I can't wrap my head around what they must be feeling. It seems so unfair... so cruel. And I know that God is not cruel. I know that. But it's hard for me to understand why he allows such terrible things to happen. Especially to people who are trying to follow his will wholeheartedly. It hurts.
And so I do the only thing that I can... I pray. I pray for Cason and Colleen, for peace and comfort and strength. I pray that they turn to God in hope, and not away from him in bitterness. I pray that God will use their story for His good. And that He will allow them to see the good that comes from this situation. I pray that He will spare them from the dark and despair that can so easily entangle them. And, I pray for a miracle. I pray for a change of heart, by a 20 year old kid who can't provide what this baby needs. I pray for opened eyes to the love and security that these wonderful people are prepared to offer his son. I pray for little Asher... that God will protect Him. That He will provide for him, even when it seems all wrong to us.
And, I trust. I trust that God is good. That He is faithful. That He works all things together for our good.
And still, I hope.
2 comments:
What a pitiful story, and how hard to try to make sense of. I will also pray for your friends. God does know what He's doing, but gosh it's hard in the waiting.
I too do not understand painful things that happen. How heartbreaking for this beautiful couple. I too will lift them up tonight. I have several times struggled with why bad things happen to good people, and came to the same conclusion as you have: God is good, and I must trust Him because what is unseen is much more real than what we see, and He alone is privy with crystal clear vision to the unseen.
Post a Comment