Beauty Will Rise.

April 17, 2012 Kelley 3 Comments

Two years ago this month, my husband and I were on a plane to China to adopt our beautiful baby girl, Xue Hua. Her Chinese names literally mean “snow/purity” and “beauty.”



As I passed the time on the seemingly never-ending flight across the world, I listened to a beautiful song that Steven Curtis Chapman wrote after he lost his own adopted daughter from China in a tragic accident.

But very deep beneath all our broken dreams
We have this hope…
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
And we’ll dance among the ruins
We will see with our own eyes
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning.

It will take our breath away
To see the beauty that’s been made
Out of the ashes, out of the ashes

Out of these ashes, beauty will rise


///

Over the last six years, my husband and I have experienced a great deal of loss and heartache.

Adoption had always been part of our plan. But the timing of it came much sooner than we anticipated. Xue Hua, now named Virginia Grace Xue, brought a healing and love to our hearts that surpassed our expectations and dreams. Had we known the “Pure Beauty” that would arise from the ruins, we would’ve cried tears of both grief AND joy.

Particularly in the adoption process, we experience barriers, closed doors, frustrations, and sometimes hopeless situations. Maybe you’re waiting to be matched with your child. Maybe you’re desperately hoping for a medical update to ensure your waiting child is doing okay. Or maybe you’re home from China with your new family addition, and circumstances are more difficult than you ever imagined.

Take each day moment by moment.

In the midst of challenging circumstances, devastation and desertion can seem overwhelming. Even reading the heart-wrenching statistic that are 147 million orphans can make it easy to sink into discouragement. It’s hard to escape the feeling that there’s nothing we can possibly do to make a significant difference in the world. But the great news is that we don’t have to bear the burden of transforming the world on our own.

Working out His intricate plans, God is bringing restoration in the ruins. He’s strengthening communities through their grief. He is raising up families to adopt and advocates for orphan care. God invites us to be part of His redeeming work. And we will not see all the results of His glorious design on this earth. But as we one day praise God in His heavenly courts, I believe we’ll be celebrating in revelation and awe.

This very day, a mother in China could be tearfully placing her baby on a public bench as a sacrifice of love. An orphan or foster child might be crying tears of loneliness and despair as he mourns the loss of his family. A couple may be holding onto each other in frustration and deep longing as they confront infertility or miscarriage.

I pray that they will one day recognize the beauty that rises from ashes. Anything laid at the feet of God will not go unredeemed. Hold onto this hope as God continues to write your story.



3 responses to “Beauty Will Rise.”

  1. Amy says:

    God is in the business of redemption. I believe that God redeemed the ugly circumstances of my infertility and my daughters’ abandonment into a BEAUTIFUL symphony of love and joy–our family.

  2. So beautiful! We are still waiting on our LOA after having PA in September. There have been some discouraging moments lately and we still have no word. Today, we missed his birthday, and it was just a hard day. Your words brought comfort to me. God’s timing is so perfect. Thank you. 🙂

  3. Kam says:

    Beautifully said, Kelley. Thank you so much.

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