Sacrifice and Blessing

Have you ever considered that with sacrifice there comes a blessing? Over the years I have watched so many situations where this is true.

Just a few weeks ago I was allowed to be involved in the preperation for an adoption reunion. Sarah had called and asked me if I could help her locate her child she had placed in adoption when she was 15. Sarah had lived with us during her pregnancy and stayed on with us until she graduated from college.

She made the decision to adopt because she knew that she could not provide all this child needed and she wanted her child to have a future and a great chance at life. She later married and had a child in that marriage. Now both children were grown up and she just wanted to see if her birth child would want a reunion.

It was my joy to help start the search process and her birth child was located. It turns out they are both teachers and her birth child has had a wonderful life. They will meet each other over the summer vacation.

I lived with Sarah and held her as she placed her child. A great sacrifice was made for the sake of her child. Now Sarah is receiving a great blessing. What she desired years ago has happened and now she is going to see her child face to face.

Jim and I have known sacrifice in our lives as we have chosen to care for young women and their children. We have had heartbreak for those who did not respond. But overall I would say that the blessing has far out weighed the sacrifice.

One final thought...when we sacrifice we usually do not see the blessing immediately. It generally takes years, but the wait is worth it because of what God does in all of us in the years between the sacrifice and the blessing.

Anne