Adoption
A word that invokes strong feelings for many people
My name is Constance Nadaskay, and this is my story.
Have you ever had a child bring a broken toy to you to fix? Maybe it was something small and plastic. Often, a parent will bury the item in the trash and hope the child doesn’t find it. Some parents intend to fix the toy, but never quite get around to it. The pieces get lost and forgotten.
I am so thankful to know Someone who takes the broken pieces that He is given and fixes them again, better than anyone else can. My story is about how the Lord Jesus Christ fixed the broken pieces that I gave to Him, and how He has blessed my life more than I ever imagined He could. When I was expecting my first child, it was a wonderful feeling. I had wanted children as long as I could remember. The problem I had at this time was that I was unmarried. Although I was busy in a church, I was not saved at the time. I was living my life the way I wanted to live it. Because of this, I had gotten myself into a bad situation. I know then, as I know now, that the place I was in was wrong. It is never in God’s plan for a woman to have a baby before she is married. As I looked at my problem, I could not imagine how this could ever work out for me or my child. I asked God to forgive me, and I know that He has long since forgiven me of the wrong that I had done. However, the consequences of sin cannot just be swept under a rug.
I am so thankful to know Someone who takes the broken pieces that He is given and fixes them again, better than anyone else can. My story is about how the Lord Jesus Christ fixed the broken pieces that I gave to Him, and how He has blessed my life more than I ever imagined He could. When I was expecting my first child, it was a wonderful feeling. I had wanted children as long as I could remember. The problem I had at this time was that I was unmarried. Although I was busy in a church, I was not saved at the time. I was living my life the way I wanted to live it. Because of this, I had gotten myself into a bad situation. I know then, as I know now, that the place I was in was wrong. It is never in God’s plan for a woman to have a baby before she is married. As I looked at my problem, I could not imagine how this could ever work out for me or my child. I asked God to forgive me, and I know that He has long since forgiven me of the wrong that I had done. However, the consequences of sin cannot just be swept under a rug.
I was counseled to give my baby up for adoption. It was a hard choice, but I decided that it would be best for my baby to be adopted. I knew that my baby needed a father as well as a mother. I had a special relationship with my dad and wanted my baby to have the benefit of that type of relationship as well. I also was trusting God to save my baby one day. The only stipulation that I made was the home my baby went to must have Christian parents.
"It was a hard choice, but I decided that it would be best for my baby to be adopted."
On my 20th birthday, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl that weighed 8 pounds. I loved her with all my heart and wanted to keep her. I always wanted her. I held her in my arms and gave her a name. I told her I loved her, and I prayed over her. All too soon, the time came to let her go. I laid my one-day-old baby girl in a hospital bassinet and told her goodbye. Then I wept. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life, but I realized it was a consequence of my sin.
When the baby was a week old, one dozen long-stemmed red roses were delivered to me at home. The card was simply signed, “The New Parents.” I cried to think that these people had spent time and money thinking of me. I believed in my heart, at that time, that God had placed my baby in very good hands.
Earthly adoption is a picture of spiritual adoption. Just as my baby was helpless and needed someone to meet her physical and emotional needs, I was helpless to have my spiritual and eternal needs met. The Bible says, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” and “the wages of sin is death.” Although I had religion, I did not have a Savior. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ made a way for the penalty of sin to be paid. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” When I put my faith in what Christ did for me and turned from my sins, God adopted me spiritually into His family. The Bible says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
When the baby was a week old, one dozen long-stemmed red roses were delivered to me at home. The card was simply signed, “The New Parents.” I cried to think that these people had spent time and money thinking of me. I believed in my heart, at that time, that God had placed my baby in very good hands.
Earthly adoption is a picture of spiritual adoption. Just as my baby was helpless and needed someone to meet her physical and emotional needs, I was helpless to have my spiritual and eternal needs met. The Bible says, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” and “the wages of sin is death.” Although I had religion, I did not have a Savior. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ made a way for the penalty of sin to be paid. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” When I put my faith in what Christ did for me and turned from my sins, God adopted me spiritually into His family. The Bible says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
I went to college, got a degree in education and, while I was there, met a wonderful man. I am thankful for a husband who loves me in spite of my past mistakes. We were blessed with three children. What a joy to have children in God’s plan and timing!
Pain dulls with time, but a woman can never forget one of her children. I often wondered how she was, especially on our birthday. My one prayer through the years was that my child would come to know Christ as her Savior.
Pain dulls with time, but a woman can never forget one of her children. I often wondered how she was, especially on our birthday. My one prayer through the years was that my child would come to know Christ as her Savior.
Shortly after she turned 18, my ‘baby’ found me and wrote to me. She told me about herself and her family. She thanked me for giving her up to the parents who love her so much. I found out her parents are in full-time Christian service, and she was preparing to go to college in the fall to become a teacher. The biggest blessing of all was when I read that she had been saved at the age of 17. What a kind and loving Heavenly Father I have that not only answered my prayer, but also allowed me to know the answer!
The story doesn’t end there. We decided to meet face to face. It was a sweet reunion, a time to get to know each other, and a time to meet her family. It is very difficult to put into words the joy of having her mom welcome me with a big hug. She had done so much for me, making my baby her own. Now she was welcoming me into her home and into the lives of her family. Waiting for me in my room was a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
It was also somewhat of a shock to hug my ‘baby.’ She was several inches taller than I was! We had a joyful time filling in the pieces of our lives for each other. One of the highlights was finding out that her parents had been praying for a baby for 10 years before she was born! What a loving God who had a home prepared for her even before she was born.
The story doesn’t end there. We decided to meet face to face. It was a sweet reunion, a time to get to know each other, and a time to meet her family. It is very difficult to put into words the joy of having her mom welcome me with a big hug. She had done so much for me, making my baby her own. Now she was welcoming me into her home and into the lives of her family. Waiting for me in my room was a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
It was also somewhat of a shock to hug my ‘baby.’ She was several inches taller than I was! We had a joyful time filling in the pieces of our lives for each other. One of the highlights was finding out that her parents had been praying for a baby for 10 years before she was born! What a loving God who had a home prepared for her even before she was born.
The Lord has taken all the sorrow away. I could not wish for anything different for her. She grew up in a family that loved her. We have a very unique and special friendship. For years I thought I was very strong, being able to give my baby up for adoption. For the first time, I realized that it was God working in our lives. I could have never done that on my own. God had me place her in His loving hands, and He didn’t let me down. God had a plan for my baby’s life and a plan for my life, but it wasn’t together. God took the broken mess I had made and worked it out better than I could have ever hoped. His grace was truly greater than my sin!
"God took the broken mess I had made and worked it out better than I could have ever hoped."
Psalm 40:1-3, I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.