Chris and Georgeanna had a desire to be a family to a forgotten and overlooked child, and once they started their adoption process, through providential connections, God led them to an orphanage in Taiwan that was home to a particularly overlooked and forgotten little girl.

Despite discouragement to adopt from well-meaning family and friends who were concerned about the baby’s health, God opened doors for Chris and Georgeanna to complete the adoption process and bring their special needs daughter, Emi, home from Taiwan in January of 2013.

While they were aware of some of Emi’s health issues during the adoption process, the new challenges that arose once Emi came home led to an incredibly challenging season for their family. “We said ‘yes’ to God, but nothing went the way it was ‘supposed to.’ Instead, it was the hardest time of our lives,” Georgeanna said.

But throughout the months of medical challenges, fear and doubt, God continued to remind Chris and Georgeanna of the reason they adopted Emi.

“God gave us Emi for his glory,” Chris said. “We’ve been able to share the gospel with so many people because the only answer we have [to why they adopted and how they’ve dealt with all of Emi’s health challenges] is God. It’s through him that we were given Emi, and it’s through him that we can work through each challenge we’ve faced.”

After months of prayer and treatment, God has healed Emi more than any doctor thought possible. Chris and Georgeanna continue to have the opportunity to share the gospel every time someone asks about Emi: the Taiwanese judge who approved the adoption, Emi’s birth mom, the orphanage workers, and the myriad of acquaintances and strangers who come up to them to ask “why” or “how.”

They’ve also been able to teach their own children what it looks like to live in obedience to God. While they were cautioned the adoption would be harmful for their kids, in actuality it’s given them a different, gospel-centered perspective on life and has shown them how small acts of obedience can bring so much glory to God. Like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:10, Georgeanna said she’s continually reminded that “God can take little seeds of obedience and grow and multiply them through our kids and through everyone we can share this story and the gospel with.”

Chris and Georgeanna now have less fear and more confidence that God will provide as they continue to take steps of faith with Emi and live in obedience because, “When has he proven otherwise? If we don’t take risks, how we will find out all that God will do? We can’t imagine missing out on what God has done if we hadn’t said yes initially.”

“We have to trust that God will use one little yes to do something big,” Georgeanna said. “After what we’ve seen him do these past few years, we can say with faith that God will change the world through each of the little things we’re obedient in.”

by Abbey Temple, Volunteer Writer