Elevated Friday, October 18th, 2019

Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a viral video that is melting the hearts of millions on the internet and also showing how adoption is truly the gospel lived out. 4-year-old Gabby was adopted by a couple in Dallas, TX and her adoptive mother recorded a video of a conversation they had together. In it, Gabby expresses with childish simplicity exactly what happened the day she met her new mother. She says, “Do you know what happened to my heart? Well, when the first time I saw you, my heart fall in love with you!” What makes this video worth watching is the true thankfulness and overwhelming love Gabby shows on her face when speaking to her new mother. It is definitely worth a watch.

Can you imagine living in the squalor and/or hopelessness of a destitute country or the challenges inherent in living in the US adoption system? While good people do their best to provide for these children, the facts remain that life’s cards are stacked against them. What’s more, the feeling of rejection and brokenness is sure to be ever-present when someone doesn't know their parents. While children across the world and in our own backyards face such circumstances, each of us has also tasted these same emotions. Without knowing our Heavenly Father and His grace, brokenness, loneliness, and rejection become part of our own mentality in life. That is what makes the forgiveness, acceptance, and love of Jesus so incredible – we can be saved from living this way by simply having faith that Jesus is who he says he is. We can do something similar for children without parents and the result is what we can see in this video of Gabby. Paul wrote in Romans, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” As we all strive to walk closely with Jesus, adoption is the closest we can walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Today, if you are considering adoption, pray for guidance on it. If not, pray for those who are and for the children that may be built up by God through those who do.

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” – Romans 8:14 NIV

Original Article:

http://bit.ly/2MMAOLX

*Note: Elevated Discourse will take a break next week, but will return Monday, October 28th.