September 30th - Redeemed
This past Wednesday, September 30, God granted us closure on a lengthy effort at adopting. Into the Hunt family the newest member was re-named and given full legal standing with all rights and privileges of being the legal son of his parents. Gage Kenneth Hunt is now officially our son and will be loved and cared for by us till God matures him into a godly, Christ-centered man of God who branches out to make his own life.
Thus ends one journey toward adoption that began in January 2008. That same month and year we buried my dad. That's quite another story - one with a happy ending (of sorts) with unhappy years preceding death.
My dad fell away from life over 30 years ago when he had a mental/emotional/spiritual breakdown. Subsequent to this - and over a period of years - he lost his wife and 5 kids. He lost his ministry...he pushed many people away with his abusive speech. He hurt many people and terrorized his kids...and ex-wife. He was a tortured soul.
I prayed and prayed that God would heal him and restore him. I tried to build a relationship with him time and again...and then would have to move away from communicating with him for a time and again to let him cool off. He was manipulative, filled with rage and you know...it was just really sad.
Before he died God gave me and my wife about a month with him. He had had a stroke and entered the hospital where he stayed to his death. Those were difficult days; yet, there in that hospital God gave us a window into the truth that my dad - as tough as the last 30 years of his life had been - still confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior. My dad - the one who had terrorized us - was now a weak, drooling stroke victim struggling for physical life. He died. Yet, he lives - safe in the arms of Jesus.
I declared at my dad's funeral that perhaps it was about time my wife and I began to have children. Odd, I know...yet at the time it seemed like the thing to say. That month we began preparing for adoption.
The road to adoption was paved with challenges, discoveries, and some heartaches along the way. But each time I look into our son's eyes I know it was worth it all! I would do it again.
Today I was sitting at my desk at home. I reached into my top drawer and saw my dad's wallet. I decided to pull it out and look at the contents. My eyes were drawn toward his license. I pulled it out and began to look it over. That's when I saw my dad's birthday. I had forgotten. But there it was in black and white: September 30, 1944.
It began to dawn on me that God has redeemed this date for our family by rescuing a child on the day my dad was born.
Thus ends one journey toward adoption that began in January 2008. That same month and year we buried my dad. That's quite another story - one with a happy ending (of sorts) with unhappy years preceding death.
My dad fell away from life over 30 years ago when he had a mental/emotional/spiritual breakdown. Subsequent to this - and over a period of years - he lost his wife and 5 kids. He lost his ministry...he pushed many people away with his abusive speech. He hurt many people and terrorized his kids...and ex-wife. He was a tortured soul.
I prayed and prayed that God would heal him and restore him. I tried to build a relationship with him time and again...and then would have to move away from communicating with him for a time and again to let him cool off. He was manipulative, filled with rage and you know...it was just really sad.
Before he died God gave me and my wife about a month with him. He had had a stroke and entered the hospital where he stayed to his death. Those were difficult days; yet, there in that hospital God gave us a window into the truth that my dad - as tough as the last 30 years of his life had been - still confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior. My dad - the one who had terrorized us - was now a weak, drooling stroke victim struggling for physical life. He died. Yet, he lives - safe in the arms of Jesus.
I declared at my dad's funeral that perhaps it was about time my wife and I began to have children. Odd, I know...yet at the time it seemed like the thing to say. That month we began preparing for adoption.
The road to adoption was paved with challenges, discoveries, and some heartaches along the way. But each time I look into our son's eyes I know it was worth it all! I would do it again.
Today I was sitting at my desk at home. I reached into my top drawer and saw my dad's wallet. I decided to pull it out and look at the contents. My eyes were drawn toward his license. I pulled it out and began to look it over. That's when I saw my dad's birthday. I had forgotten. But there it was in black and white: September 30, 1944.
It began to dawn on me that God has redeemed this date for our family by rescuing a child on the day my dad was born.
- September 30, 1944 a boy was born who ended up hurting many but still holding to faith.
- September 30, 2009 a boy was adopted who I pray will be a man who blesses many as he becomes a man of faith.
posted by James Hunt at
9:57 PM
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