Life as an Adoption Consultant: The Hard Days

I will admit, sometimes this job is hard.  

I am so blessed to work with Christian Adoption Consultants.   I feel completely blessed every single day to be able to walk families down this road.  I often have people tell me how they think we have the best job ever, and I totally agree!  I fall in love with my families and feel like I am welcoming a child into my own family when I see those precious little babies come home.  I feel the ups and downs of this process just like they do.  I cheer and I cry.  

There are times when the job isn't easy though.  When I have to deliver multiple "No's" to a family, or multiple families.  That is hard.  It is so hard not being able to physically see what the Lord is doing.  I wish I could put on some very literal "spiritual goggles" and tell my families it will be okay, I see it.   And although I know I do not have an actual pair of spiritual goggles, I do have the Word.  God's word is what carried us through both of our adoption processes and I always point my adoptive families back to the word as well.   When we started getting weary, or letting a trickle of doubt enter our minds, we went back to the promise He gave us.  

"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."   Jer. 29:11

This was our go-to verse.  He knows our plans, they are good plans, they will give us hope and a future!  He knows our child. He has plans for our child.  They are good plans.  They will give him/her hope and a future.  He knows our child's birth family.  He has good plans for them.  He will give them hope and a future.  

I could rest knowing that God's got this.  I may not physically have been able to see the future, planning out when and where we would meet our babies, but I knew that HE knew. 

If you are one of my adoptive families, you will always hear me say a few things over and over, so I am sorry if they are redundant.  I truly care and want to see your family grow.  Not just in numbers, with two little feet, but in spirit and in truth, and with bigger FAITH at the end of this journey.  

One of my Katie Quotes: 

Please don't hear this answer as another "NO, they didn't choose us to parent this baby", but rather hear it as God's "YES to whoever your baby is".  

He simply had to give you a No this time because this wasn't the incredible, unique, child that will be your son or daughter.    He knows. He has plans, and they are good plans.  

His strength is completely enough.   For you, family, as you walk through the tough road of infertility.  For you, Family, as you have just heard another "No".    For you, Family, as you wait, dreaming of your son or daughter.   For you, Family, as you walk through a failed adoption match.  For me, as your Consultant, your Friend, your Cheerleader, I cling to His strength.  I pray for strength when I have to tell you about the hard stuff.  I pray you are strengthened today.  Your JOY is coming. I know it.  

Want to talk about Adoption? I would be honored to help in any way.  

Please email ME- Katie Manuel