Substitutionary

A missionary couple from China tell a story of how they lost their son
while doing God's work. Two years later, God blessed them with twin
boys, and over the years, one of the twins grew faster than the other,
to the point where it looked like they were a couple of years apart in
age. It was as if God was replacing the lost son with a new one, and
it kept them going in their work through the sorrow and toil.

I have thought about that story a lot lately, as I consider how God
has provided Amy and me with one and now two children through
adoption, in place of kids we had hoped to have biologically but could
not. Adopting kids gives you some but not all of the joys of
parenting, so it is not as though we lament and grieve the loss of
parts of parenthood we will never directly enjoy.

But God has more than made up for the loss. I cannot tell you how
often Amy and I tell each other how thankful we are for Jada, who is
not perfect but is perfect for us. Our love for her is equally fierce
and tender, sober but frivolous, playful yet profound. God has answer
our prayers in abundance through Jada, and given us all we could've
imagined and more.

We look forward to the same with Aaron. We do not discount that there
are parts of parenting we have not and will not experience. But with
that loss has come great gain, which we greatly appreciate. Thanks be
to God.