So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
-Hebrews 10:35-36
I believe with my whole heart that if God has placed adoption on your heart, it is not by accident. He has a plan for you, for your family, and for the child He is preparing to bring into your life. Your child is already known to Him. And the waiting, as hard as it is, is part of that perfect plan unfolding.
I want to offer some real encouragement for adoptive parents today, drawn from families who have walked this road before you.
Your Story Has Already Been Written
One of the most powerful things I hear from adoptive parents who have come through the waiting season is this: hold onto the truth that the child joining your family through adoption was chosen by God from the very beginning of time to take your last name. There is nothing — no delays, no paperwork, no missed phone calls — that can get in the way of His plan for that child’s life or for yours. Clinging to that during the hard days brings a peace that truly does surpass understanding.
And here is something beautiful to remember: adoption is not a new idea. It is woven all through Scripture. Moses was saved through the love of an adoptive mother. Samuel was raised by Eli. Mordecai stepped up to raise Esther, who went on to save an entire nation. And Joseph chose to adopt the very Son of God as his own. God uses adoption again and again as a picture of His own love. He chooses it to illustrate the greatest story ever told: that He pursued us, claimed us, and called us His own.
Ephesians 1:5 tells us: “He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.” Your child’s story is not just a family story. It is a Gospel story.
Encouragement for Adoptive Parents in the Wait
I know the waiting can feel endless. But here is some wisdom from a mother who walked this path before you: don’t just wish for the beautiful moments ahead. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to the beautiful moments you have right now. Your family is being shaped, stretched, and prepared, and that preparation matters.
Use this season intentionally. Pray together as a family. Invite the people around you, like your small group, your church, your loved ones, into the waiting with you. You don’t have to carry this alone. When you wait in community, something powerful happens: the body of Christ shows up. And that waiting together becomes its own picture of hope and belonging.
Pray specifically: for your child’s birth family, for the health and peace of the baby or child waiting for you, and for the calm assurance to recognize the moment when it comes. Families who have gone before you will tell you: those prayers were answered.
God Will Supply Every Need
Perhaps you’re feeling stretched right now, whether financially, emotionally, or spiritually. Philippians 4:19 promises: “And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Adoptive parents who have walked this road will tell you that verse is not just for the finances. Yes, God provides the funds. But He also pours out strength day by day, sometimes moment by moment, to parent well. He gives wisdom you didn’t know you had. He grows your capacity to love in ways you never imagined. He even gives you extravagant love for the birth families connected to your child, opening your heart in ways you couldn’t have planned or prepared for.
That is the miracle of adoption: not just that a child gains a family, but that everyone involved is transformed.
You Are Not Alone
At Lifetime Adoption, I have had the privilege of walking alongside thousands of families on this journey. I have seen the tears of the waiting and the tears of the homecoming. I have watched families be stretched and shaped and surprised by the goodness of God through the adoption process.
And I can tell you this with confidence: the families who lean in — who pray together, wait together, stay open-hearted and open-handed, and trust in God’s perfect timing — are the ones who look back in wonder at what He did.
Don’t throw away your confidence. Your child is coming. Hold tight to your faith, lean on your community, and rest in the promise that God’s plan for your family is more beautiful than anything you could write yourself.
This encouragement for adoptive parents comes from years of walking alongside families just like yours. I have seen again and again that He is faithful.
We are here with you every step of the way.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 15, 2015, and has since been updated.