Healing Through SacrificeSample

There are five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, sadness/depression, and acceptance/resolution. All humans experience these stages of grief through death, loss of a relationship, divorce, and, yes, adoption. There is no one specific way to grieve the loss of a relationship with one’s child. The hardest part is that with death there is finality;  with adoption, there is a sense that a child “out there” exists; however, there is no relationship. Society wants to encourage birth mothers to “move on with your life,” but how can you move on when you can’t process what occurred when your life changed forever?

Despite the loss, God has not left you. There may have been a season you turned from God out of anger for the hurt or doubt of His love or condemnation by other Christians, separating you from a relationship with the One who knows you best.

Part of our life experience is to discover who we are. In this process of self-discovery, we find out the impact of the good and not-so-good choices we have made.

There will be times when you feel alone and as though no one fully understands the many emotions of adoption. When you are feeling alone, stand on these words above.

Fill in the missing words Isaiah 40:29

He gives power to the ______________

And strength to the ________________

Look up Isaiah 40:31 and write it (writing and setting your eyes on scriptures are powerful ways to keep God’s word in your heart and mind).

It can be too easy to give in to the feelings of regret or hopelessness when life is tough. God calls you to turn those thoughts over to Him and trust He will deliver on His promises to strengthen and keep you running the race He has in store for you.

At this moment, please pause in the reading and talk to the Lord. Share your feelings with God; He understands.