“Wouldn’t it be awesome if we adopted one day . . .” These words came out of my mouth in 2009 while signing up to sponsor a child from Compassion International with the person who was soon to be my wife.

Before my wife and I were married, the Lord was stirring something in our hearts, and we had no idea what God had in store for us.

Fast forward 2 years into our marriage. “You think we should start trying to have kids?” My wife asked me this question, and this is a common conversation between young married couples – the whole, “When should we have kids?” dilemma. “Yeah, I think it’s time!”

After a year or so of trying to have kids biologically, we weren’t getting pregnant, and my wife, who is the proactive “go getter” type and who also has incredible intuition, got us into a fertility doctor so we could see if everything was okay. After both of us were tested, we discovered that we both had reproductive issues. The doctor sat us down in his office and told us we had a 0.01% chance of conceiving children biologically. “But you can keep trying . . .” the doctor told us and tried to encourage us and give us hope.

Obviously, this news was devastating to hear at the time. We were confused and heartbroken. However, the doctor did give us some options that may increase our chances to conceive biologically. After a couple of attempts trying to use medical intervention, the Lord laid a heavy burden on our hearts that convicted us that we were trying to force the Lord’s hand in our lives. We wanted OUR will to be done as opposed to asking what HIS will for our life was.

My wife and I remembered that conversation we had while signing up to sponsor a child. “I think the Lord is leading us to adopt,” my wife said. “Me, too,” I replied. So, we started a long journey into a world that we knew very little about but would change our lives forever.

We went to a meeting with a large adoption organization that had over 100 couples who were interested in adopting. It was overwhelming to see how many people were in the room.

“Those who are looking into domestic adoptions, go to Room A.”

“Those who are looking into foreign adoptions, go to Room B.”

“If you are unsure and don’t know what kind of adoptions you are interested in, go to Room C.”

These were the instructions from the lady who stood at the front of the room. My wife and I looked at each other in bewilderment. “This is how this is done?!” we thought to ourselves.

So, we went into the room for information about domestic adoptions. We were told to fill out some paperwork and give all our information to the agency. We were told very little about the organization, and then we were dismissed.

My wife and I left that room completely discouraged. If that was what adopting a child was like, we were not convinced that we wanted to adopt anymore. We didn’t want to be a number and a name slapped on a list. We wanted to grow our family, and this was a calling from the Lord on our lives. This wasn’t anything like we had expected.

A few months went by, and the calling from the Lord to adopt was still heavy on our hearts. Through divine intervention, the Lord led us to a small agency in Macon, Georgia. We hesitantly attended a meeting with this agency with the expectation that we would experience the same thing from the previous agency, but we were wrong.

“James 1:27 says, ^“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

These were the first words that came out of the mouth of the director of the adoption agency.

“Adoption is a calling from the Lord to care for the orphan.”

At that moment, we knew this was the agency that our child was going to come from! The Lord gave us an overwhelming peace that this was His plan for our lives.

After 2 years of applications, home studies, making a profile, fund raising, and waiting to be selected by a birth mother, we got a phone call. “You have been selected by a birth mother who is expecting to give birth in two weeks!”

Two weeks went by, “She’s here!” Campbell Day Kimbro was born!

Just a few weeks later, our daughter was placed in our arms, and we fell in love!

This was the plan of God on our lives, and it didn’t stop with her. When Campbell turned 2 years old, we felt the Lord leading us to adopt again. We used the same adoption agency and started the whole process over again. Applications, new home studies, fund raising again, applying for grants, and then we get the call, again.

 “A birth mother saw your profile, and she has selected you to adopt her daughter. She is due in 8 weeks!”

We were so excited and began to prepare to bring our next daughter home in 8 weeks!

After just a couple of weeks we got a call that would change our lives forever . . . again.

Collins (our new daughter) was born 6 weeks premature.

“Collins is here, but something is wrong. We don’t think that she is going to live very long. We don’t know the life expectancy. And the doctors think that she will have some severe special needs. We want to ask you if you guys are still wanting to adopt her.”

Our stomachs sank. I remember vividly words coming out of my mouth that were not my own, but the Lord speaking through me, “We prayed for a child. Who are we to tell God that this little girl is not good enough for us? Of course, we still want her.”

To make a long story short, we now have 2 daughters that we have adopted! One of which has severe special needs and is 6 years old, and the other is a totally healthy 9-year-old little girl! And they are both perfect in our eyes and in God’s sight!

We had a plan for our lives, but God’s will was so much better!

We had a plan to have children biologically first and then adopt. God wanted it the other way around! You see, 3 years after we adopted our second daughter and after 10 years of trying to have children biologically, we got pregnant with our first biological son! That’s right, I said our “first” biological son. Three years after we had our first biological son, we had a biological daughter! In case you lost count, that’s 4 kids! I know, we are crazy! But it’s perfect! God’s will is perfect.

I want to just encourage whoever is reading this with just a few thoughts that might help you in deciding if you should adopt, or even foster a child.

1. What does God’s word say about caring for the orphan? There are too many passages of scripture to list here where God’s talks about his heart for the orphan. I want you to consider adoption not as a backup plan, but a calling on your life to share God’s heart for the orphan.
2. If you feel the Lord leading you to adopt and you are hesitant because you are fearful of the unknown, maybe finances, maybe special needs, maybe questions and conversations you will have to have . . . First, God did not give you a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Second, if God is calling you to adopt…He will provide for your every need for that calling. You just trust Him and take a step of faith and watch Him do what He does best.
3. If Christians are going to fight for the unborn and be pro-life, we need to be prepared to be “all in” and to be willing to care for the lives that the Lord brings into this world! To be willing to adopt children and show them the Love of Jesus Christ!
4. Adoption is a perfect picture of Salvation. Ephesians 1:5 says, “He predestined usfor adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” (ESV) When you adopt a child, it is a picture of what God has done for you through faith in His son Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ we were separated from God in our sin, but through faith in the finished work of Jesus by his death and resurrection, we are adopted into the family of God!

God Bless,

Caleb, Casey, Campbell, Collins, Cove, and Caris Kimbro

Written by: Caleb Kimbro. Caleb lives in Jacksonville, FL with his wife and 4 children. Together they pastor at Arlington Baptist Church, and he serves on Fathom Family Foundation’s Board of Directors.