Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Design (01/19/04)
TITLE: Our Familys Destiny By Annette Bury 01/20/04 |
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND |
He rolled his eyes. "Annette, you're so impatient. He knows we're waiting."
As I looked at my watch again, the door burst open. With his hand outstretched, a doctor with coal black hair darted into the room.
"Good afternoon," he said. "We have the results of your tests."
At last the news we had so eagerly awaited. My palms started sweating as my heart leaped into my throat.
"It's for sure," he spat out callously. "You won't ever have children."
As I choked back the tears, I blurted, "But doctor, are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.” He pulled his stool forward and drew a diagram of something, which meant nothing to me. He closed his file, stood up, and thrust his hand forward. My husband grasped his hand, for a quick handshake. Without another word, he turned around and dashed out the door.
Lost in my thoughts on the drive home, I watched the scenery pass by. Bob drove me home, kissed me, and left for work. I slowly mounted the stairs and walked down the hall until I reached our bedroom. Falling to my knees, I cried out to the Lord. "God, why is this happening? Haven't I prayed long or hard enough about having children?”
Several days later I sat on the couch, in front of the television. With the remote I flipped on a channel, I never view, for the evening news. Within a few minutes, a news reporter invited the viewers to travel with a couple through their adoption process.
I sat up straighter and turned up the volume.
At the onset of their story, the couple strolled into an agency. On the outside of the building, in bold, dark letters, was the agency’s phone number. Their adoption journey took them to Russia, for a beautiful baby girl who became their long-awaited daughter.
The following morning, I dialed the number, and found myself asking for a packet of information. Upon receiving it, I anxiously approached my husband about adopting a child from Russia.
"Are you crazy?" Bob asked. "Who do you know that did this? This is 1995! People hardly travel there. I'm not going to Russia."
Later that day, I fell to my knees. "Lord, if you want us to go to Russia, please reveal this to us. I want to be in Your will."
Within days, my husband miraculously changed his mind. So, we busily found ourselves preparing for our two new additions; buying a crib, a bed, clothes, toys, and reading every parenting article we could find.
The Lord’s faithfulness gave us a darling infant girl, we named Delaney, and a three-year-old boy, we named Robert.
But the Lord still had more children for our family. Two years later, another boy named Anton joined our family. And another daughter named Alena joined our clan. Now with four children, life became quite hectic, but wonderful.
But God still hadn’t completed our family, for another daughter named Nadia joined us a year later.
Now with five children, our house is full of laughter and chatter, and of course, noise and messes.
When I reflect back on the startling news the doctor gave us, I realize the Lord had a different plan, a different design for creating our family. And I’m so grateful that He not only had a specific design for Bob and I, but for all five of our children. He took a couple who desperately wanted children, and gave us children that left the misery of growing-up in an orphanage. Now, we’re one big, family – and also part of the family of God.