Count It a Joy

On February 15, 2012, my wife and I walked out of the airport to a waiting crowd of fellow journeyers from our church. They were there to see the fruit of their prayers—our son and daughter who we had just brought home from Ethiopia. We were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to do our part in making right what the world had made wrong. We were full of hope and dreams with a community surrounding us and cheering us on in our act of faith and stewardship of the gift God had given us in these two beautiful children.

We had done our best to prepare. We read the books, talked to those who had walked the journey before us, and prayed. Oh, how we prayed! But there is a difference between making a commitment that you know will take your whole life to fulfill and actually living through it. We’ve learned a ton over the past 10+ years, and yet, we have so far to go still.

But there is a difference between making a commitment that you know will take your whole life to fulfill and actually living through it.

Justin Myers

Early on in our adoption journey, we filled out an application for a Show Hope Adoption Aid grant and much to our surprise, were granted an award. We appreciated the ministry of the Chapmans through the years and respected the work Show Hope did to serve countless families. While serving on staff at a church, we hosted Hope for the Journey as a support to our adoptive and foster families. The timing could have only been in God’s kind providence. We showed half of the material on a Saturday with a plan to show the rest of the material two Saturdays later. My wife and I sat through the first Saturday feverishly taking notes and swapping stories and encouragement with other families. But between the first and second Saturdays, we had a major family event that took the wind out of our sails and kept us from attending the last half of the event.

But we did not lose hope. Whereas in times past I would have taken a harsh approach in the situation out of my own fear and insecurity, instead, I leaned on my recent training of always connecting before correcting my children. I sought to understand the need behind the behavior. And ultimately, I sought to respond in a way that reflects God’s patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. I still don’t understand everything that happened in those moments, but I know God was in the midst of it. And I know that God also used Show Hope to deliver life-giving hope and help exactly in the moment I needed it.

So when a job opened at Show Hope that fit my passion and skills, I applied. It was the job I didn’t know I wanted until I began to think through what a glorious opportunity it would be to serve other families on the adoption journey. And here I am, since November 2021, leading a team of passionate individuals, serving families, churches, and organizations all along the road of adoption. I count it a joy to step through the doors of Show Hope every single day. I get to do meaningful work with an excellent team of Christ-followers. And every day, I get joy thinking through the new possibilities we have to serve children and families here and around the world.