Kyrkja...a baby journey

I'll never forget the first time I met Karena in August 2010...I was 9 weeks pregnant and it was our first time visiting our current church. She was absolutely thrilled when I told her I was expecting. She smiled big and hugged me. And then told me she and her husband had been trying for four years to have a baby and they were beginning the adoption process. I was so touched by her response that I fought back tears. 

Longing for years. 

Four surgeries. Seven failed intrauterine inseminations and countless tests.

Yet, this amazingly joyful woman was so genuinely happy for us - a couple she had known for only minutes. She prayed over me before we left that evening, and I was once again reminded how blessed we were. To have a healthy baby growing inside of me, but also to have found our new church family. 

Karena and Thomas became active as potential adoptive parents on January 1st, and within a month they received a referral. A baby! And he/she would be arriving only days after our baby was due. Everyone was so excited for them, and we immediately started talking about nursery decor, registry details and cloth diapers. The week came that their baby would be arriving - they were overjoyed and "on call." 

They soon found out that the birth mother whom they had established a solid relationship with had decided to unexpectedly keep the baby afterall, and she had failed to call them when she went into labor like she had promised they would. They were of course heart-broken, but their faith never wavered. In Karena's email words, "We have been so broken over the loss of the sweetie we thought would be our daughter. Thank you very much to those of you who have loved and supported us so tenderly in our grief. It has been painful, and God has shown Himself to be faithful. And good. And sovereign. And trustworthy. And true."

Then, while they were still grieving the loss of the baby, they were chosen again. And this time for TWIN DAUGHTERS who were due in July.

In another email...

"What a God!  What a mighty God!  What a faithful God!  What a redemptive God!  What a loving God!  What an "exceedingly, abundantly more than all we could ever ask or imagine" God!"

How true. TWINS! We prayed for the health of the babies, and that God's hand would continue to cover the entire adoption process.

Unfortunately, the birthmom decided to parent the baby girls after all. Thomas and Karena grieved the loss of the second and third babies they thought would be their own.

I just knew that God would bless the desires of their heart, but it was certainly difficult to not question His plans in their situation. They were so deserving and had so much love to offer a little one. They were heart-broken, but remained hopeful. They were transparent with their church family and so many people were praying for them. They chose to focus on the many ways that God had been so faithful to them, rather than focus solely on the one area that it seemed He hadn't. Like Karena said, "He is a wise and loving Father who does ALL things well."

And then one Sunday at church, I noticed a rose on the podium which are given to celebrate new babies within the congregation. I couldn't remember a new baby being born recently but I just figured I had missed something. Pastor Thomas finished up announcements and then turned his attention to the rose. He started talking about everything they've been through and how God had remained faithful despite their ache for a child. He thanked everyone for walking the journey with them and then after a pause...out walked his wife Karena holding a tiny, brand new, beautiful, dark-haired BABY GIRL. There was a collective gasp throughout the church and I instantly starting crying tears of joy. They had a weeks notice before she was born, and had brought their new daughter home the previous Monday. 


Kyrkja (keer-kuh) Noel Grace was born on August 20th. They made it through the risk period, and have settled in as a family of three wonderfully. I love seeing her at church - she's already changed so much since I had the honor of taking her newborn pictures when she was only 11 days. I share this story because it shows how loving our God is and how he hears and answers our prayers. Thomas and Karena have inspired me in so many ways, and I desire to serve God without conditions just as they have. 


Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. -- 1 John 5:14-14

(You can click on collage to view images larger.)

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!