Sacrificial Love

On Sunday at church, our pastor was talking about the qualities of a mother and we used Proverbs 31 as our springboard. The first quality he spoke of was that a mother's love is sacrificial...she lays down her own life for her children. At that moment I was filled with an overwhelming love and longing to thank my daugther's birthmom...to hold her and to fill her void.

As adoptive parents of children who were abandoned in a foreign country, we are told that we are not supposed to "glorify" or make up our baby's birth mother's stories or feelings. Why not? Honestly, I read it last year and all I know is that it was based on some worldly, intellectual, psycho babble reason that didn't make sense to me then and doesn't make sense to me now. The longer I walk with the Lord and spend time in His Word, I am more skeptical of the world's expert's on truth. Those experts don't know my God and my God has a way of telling me things of the heart within the realm of possibility as well as fact. So, with that said, I want to share the truth I know in my heart and this resonates as such deep within my soul.

I am certain with all that is within me, that Z's mom sacrificed part of her very soul when she left her in a box with a bottle and a sweet little outfit adorned with little hand sewn flowers at about three weeks old. Whatever cultural pressures, financial hardships or societal reasons in place that forced her she to abandon my girl are not big enough to numb the loss of this child. To know Z is to feel how much she was and is loved. She is beautiful in every way. She is quick to laugh, giggle and smile. She is a smile. Everyday is a great day to be her. She is pure joy. And from my experience, pure joy comes from great sacrifice. Her birth mother, for whatever reason, purposed to give her life...twice.

In Hebrews 12:2 it says: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. This verse is describing how Jesus gave His life up so that we might have life. He was the perfect sacrifice for a sinful world and He did this for the joy set before Him. What was the joy? Reconciliation of the whole World to Him and relationship here and life eternally...to whomever accepts His invitation. All are welcome, but not everyone comes. Perhaps someday, when this one is passed, I will meet this woman and we will experience the joy of reconciliation and relationship in the midst of our Savior. You can bet I'm praying for that. And I will pray for her birthmother, thanks and blessing upon her, all the days of her life. I owe her that much...for the part of her heart that is missing blesses me every day.