Our Next Big Thing

Over the past several months our family has been taking baby steps towards adoption. We've been fairly quiet about this decision (until now!) because we don't know what God has planned for the outcome. As I'm going through the mountains of paperwork that is involved, I felt convicted to "go public" even though the outcome is still not clear.

Why would we complicate our already hectic lives by welcoming additional children who may or may not come with issues we're not prepared for?

At the core is our sadness for the number of children that don't have a Mommy and Daddy to make sure they're safe and cared for. We want to give them that love.

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3

We feel passionately that the Lord didn't put the Stumpfs on this earth only for our own happiness. We are very happy, but that is not our goal or purpose for life.

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25

What's next? The aforementioned paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork. A homestudy next week. And then approval, or not.

We are trusting that God knows the outcome of this journey. If it is His will for us to adopt, we pray that He will prepare the children for our family. If you think of us, will you send up a prayer for our family, too?