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Will They Be Brother And Sister?

We have four children.  God brought two of our children to us by way of biological birth.  He is giving us two more by way of adoption from Russia.  As we are waiting on our referral, we receive many questions and comments from people that I know mean well, but have not thought through the ‘realness’ of adoption.  When people find out we are adopting two children – an infant girl and toddler boy – they usually ask if they will be brother and sister.  Whether they were born from the same birth mother or not, God has ordained from the beginning of time for our third and fourth child to come to us from Russia.  And yes, they will be our real children and real brother and sister regardless of their genes.

I just finished the book, “Adopted for Life.”  The book is authored by seminary professor and Pastor Russell Moore, who adopted two children from Russia.  His two boys were born only three weeks apart.  They often got the question, “are they brothers?”  This has been my favorite book I have read so far on adoption.  The book parallels our adoption as God’s child with the adoption of an orphan.  I find this truth foundational in my view on adoption.  As a Christian, I consider myself ‘really’ a child of God.  My favorite chapter is about Joseph as the adoptive father of Jesus.  Moore says, “Jesus’ identity as the Christ, after all, is tied to his identity as the ancestor of David, the legitimate heir to David’s throne.  Jesus saves us as David’s son, the offspring of Abraham, the Christ.  That human identity came to Jesus through adoption.”

Joseph is the real father of Jesus.  My two children from Russia will really be brother and sister, my husband is their real father, and I am their real mother.