The Beginning . . .

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

This verse is quite familiar and like many who have gone before us, it means a great deal to our adoption story. Let me take you back to the day it entered our story.

Easter started off with great promise, the Stackler’s rose early in the morning to get ready to go to church to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection. While making ourselves ready our daughter, Georgia Irene, stopped breathing. The paramedics responded quickly and she was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. Our beautiful baby girl died on that day, the very same day that we celebrate the Lord’s victory over death. Before we left the hospital, we had an opportunity to spend some time with Georgia, and Amy heard a curious thing from the Lord. She heard the above verse from Jeremiah. She was confused. “Lord, what do you mean ‘hope and a future’, she’s gone? The Lord spoke clearly, the verse was not about Georgia, it was about us.

In addition to Georgia, we have been blessed with two other children. After our youngest was born a couple of years ago, it was clear to us that Amy getting pregnant was an undesirable avenue to further increase our family. We prayed and agreed to adopt. Our search for an agency was very brief. We watched a promotional video from our agency and written across the screen was the verse from Jeremiah. It’s a common verse and it may be in every promotional video from every Christian agency, but it felt to us like God had given us direction.

Our prayer today is for the orphan’s around the world –
Lord, may the words of Jeremiah ring true in all of our hearts. Help us not to view the circumstances in our lives as unmovable barriers, but rather as opportunities to trust in You. Care for the children who need your help today and encourage them to dream dream’s filled with hope. Encourage those who are able, to reach out into world and care for these children.