It’s been a little over two years now since God gave me the privilege of becoming a wife and mom. Through many ups and downs, challenges and joys, God has knit our hearts together and made us a family. As I was reflecting on what God has shown me about having a mother’s heart over these last two years I was inspired to write the following poem. It’s a glimpse into what I have experienced, and I think any mother of adopted children will relate.
More Than a Mother’s Heart
It happened unexpectedly
Less like butterflies I’d heard about
More like vertigo
Like my world being turned upside down.
A man
Four children
All gifts to me from God
The answer to my prayers
The dreams I never knew I had.
Was I ready
A questioning counselor probed
To be a mother
To these precious souls?
No
Of course not
How could I know what to be
what to expect?
But a stronger hand was holding mine
Leading me
Gripping me
Keeping me from falling
From turning back
From missing the blessing.
The journey continued
And prayers sprang forth
Every day
From the depths of my soul
As I gazed into expectant eyes
And welcoming faces
To have the heart a mother would
To love them as my own.
It’s different though
A friend insisted
The love for those adopted
Not quite as real
Not quite as strong.
My broken heart raced to my knees
To plead with God again
Don’t let it be true
Surely my heart is big enough
To love
As any mother could.
It was then God whispered
Words of truth
Enlightened me
Surrounded me
Filled me
With length and breadth and height and depth
Of love beyond compare
To stand the test of time
To conquer every foe
To surpass all bounds.
And I knew
That He could give me more
Far more
Abundantly more
Than I could ask
Or imagine
Even more than a mother’s heart.