Plan B: God's story

{Why Plan B?}

So right from the start I need to explain our blog post title.  Our title "Plan B: God's Story" comes after our "Plan A: Our Story."  I know what comes to mind when you hear Plan B.  You think:

• Not your first choice
• What you are "settling" for
• Not what you had hoped for

Plan B in our case means something different.  When I went to a woman of faith conference in November Pete Wilson spoke about a book he wrote called Plan B.  Although I haven't read the book (it's on my Christmas list :)) what he said at the conference resonated so much with me.  As he walked through Joseph's story in Genesis, he discussed how Joseph's response to his shattered dreams was so important, and that God isn't finished with our story when our expectations aren't met.  

He phrased Plan B as: What to do when God doesn't show up how you thought.  

So, comes the title of this blog post.  When I heard that explanation we had already applied for adoption and it seemed so fitting to our situation.  Plan A was the story I was trying to write.  And I'm so thankful that my story didn't end up how I wanted it because I would have never gotten to God's story- which has really technically always been Plan A, but in our mind it is Plan B- His story.

{Why Adopt?}

You guys, we are SO excited that we have been called to adopt.  It's honestly so humbling for us to think that God wants to use us to love, support, and raise a child living in an orphanage.  Dan and I talked about adoption when we first got married and were very open to the idea of adopting, but assumed if we did, it would be years down the road.  This last year we have felt a stronger calling to adopt sooner and I'd love to share our story with you!

This past spring I was talking with my friend, Bridget, about a recent sermon series and she brought up how she had gone to China and volunteered at an orphanage with an organization called Show Hope. I had never heard of the organization but had heard of Stephen Curtis Chapman who started the organization not only because he is a singer, but I read his wife's book, Choosing to See.

Right after she left I put Jake down for his nap and sat down on the couch to check Facebook (obviously) and noticed that a friend had liked a status update from the Show Hope blog stating: "Today, we remember the beautiful life of Maria Sue Chapman."  It had been the 6 year anniversary of Stephen Curtis Chapman's daughter who had passed away. I thought it was interesting how within a half an hour after Bridget left this status popped up, so I looked around the Show Hope website and decide to follow them on Instagram.

After Jake wakes up I get in the car and drive us to swimming and a Stephen Curtis Chapman song comes on the radio.  I was a little weirded out.. but not too much.

After that song comes Matthew West's song about all the hurt and pain in the world and how we should do something about it (see lyrics here).  At this point I think I seriously started to look over my shoulder in the car. It had only been a span of 3 hours since all of this had happened and I don't like to look too much into things, but I also didn't know if this was all coincidence.  Looking at my journal for that day I wrote "God I want to be open to your plans for our future.  Please let us tell your story and not ours, and if that's adoption- let us be open to it.  Please show me if you're calling us to adopt."

Two days later this blog shows up on my instagram feed from Show Hope: "Guest post blogger Stefanie shares why God calls us to adopt."  You guys, I can't make this stuff up.  I think in my whole life I've met maybe 5 people who spell Stefanie with an "f."  At this point I just couldn't ignore this anymore and I started talking and praying with Dan more seriously about adoption and then we started the research process.  The more we prayed the more God opened our eyes to how much He loves adoption and has a heart for the orphan.  Not only does he talk about caring for the fatherless throughout the Bible, but adoption was His idea.  He has redeemed and adopted us into His family and we are now unconditionally loved and accepted.  As God started growing our heart for adoption we started to get excited about international adoption.  When Ethiopia came across our radar and we learned how it is home to over 4.6 million orphaned children, which is one of the largest populations of orphans in the world and the highest population of orphans in Africa, we knew we had found the country we hoped to adopt from.

{What's next?}

We are so excited about where God is taking us and couldn't wait to share it with our family and friends!  Currently, we are in the process of completing our home study and raising support to help bring our child home, which could take up to 2-3 years.  When you visit our fundraising website,  (www.youcaring.com/cinadrfamilyadoption) you can see a more detailed explanation the of expenses involved in bringing home our child.  Below is a list of the ways we hope to pursue fundraising for our adoption:

• First, Dan and I have signed up to train and run the Cleveland marathon on May 17th (eek!).  It would be so fun for us if you would like to sponsor us for one of those miles.  Our hope is that we can have a list of all the people who are supporting us as we run for motivation to keep going!  And trust us, we know from running the Chicago Marathon in 2010 that the desire to give up is REAL, especially around mile 20... and every mile past that :)  So if you would like to support us in this way, please send us an email letting me know what mile you would like to "sign up" for and we will keep a running list here and on our fundraising site of who is supporting us what mile!  It would be great to have at least one person support us each mile!
• Secondly, we are going to do a puzzle piece fundraiser.  What this means is we will write the name of every person and family who supports our adoption on the back of a puzzle piece and we will put it in a double sided frame in our child's room as a reminder for years to come of who helped make it possible to bring this child home.  The puzzle is on its way and I will post a picture as soon as it comes in the mail!
• And lastly, I hope to use my photography for anyone who would like to support us.  This past year I (Stef) have been taking a class and have been practicing taking pictures for my friends and family in hopes that I can use my photography as a way to raise support for our adoption.  I am by no means a professional, but I love taking pictures and it would be such a blessing for me to be able to take pictures for any family or friend as a way to support bringing our child home!  To see some of my sample pictures you can go here: Stefanie Cinadr Photography

Dan and I hope you will consider investing in our journey in whatever way you feel led. Even if you can’t help financially, we would love for you to advocate for our cause through prayer and by sharing our story:

Pray.  First and foremost, please pray for our future child.  That God would keep him/ her safe and prepare Dan and I to become a family of four.  And please pray that we would wait well and trust in God's timing through the adoption process.

Share. We know many people have a heart for caring for the orphan and would love to help our cause.  So if you feel led, we would love for you to help us get the word out and share the link and the story.

{Our Hope}

We know for a fact the road ahead is not going to be easy.  Our social worker and anyone who has adopted has prepared us for many emotional ups and downs throughout the process and then after you bring the child home.  But as we stated before, we know God's heart is for adoption and we are trusting in His promise to finish what He has called us to.  Dan and I love Tozer's quote, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible.  What a pity we plan to do only the things that we can do by ourselves."  Right now the road ahead can already seem impossible, but what Stefanie shared in her blog post about why God calls people to adopt is so encouraging to us:

So if you are called to adopt, count yourself greatly blessed. As bearers of the Good News, called to adoption, we get to participate in His magnificent plan to redeem what this broken world has trampled on. What a merciful and loving God we serve. And if the journey gets difficult – and it will – just remember it’s His thing, this orphan care movement. And He will finish what He has started. Because these children are His beloved.

We are so excited for what's ahead and can't thank you enough for your support!