knowing who you are (the spirit of adoption)

It was a warm, beautiful day in Guangzhou. David and Kaikai were walking a little ways behind Grace, Lily and myself, so the girls and I stopped to look out over the lake. A (non-Chinese) man walked up next to us. "You have beautiful daughters," he exclaimed.

I thanked him and continued to talk to my girls.

"Is their father Chinese?" he asked.

"They are adopted," I explained.

"I see. Why didn't you want to have children of your own?" he then asked.

I had an instant flash of anger that this man would ask such a question in front of my girls. "They are my own," I answered curtly.

"Oh, you know what I mean," he continued, oblivious to my irritation. "And what about their real mother?"

That was when I decided that it was time to leave. I turned to him and explained quite clearly that I was their real mother, since I was the one who loved them and took care of them and lived with them.

"Yeah," Lily added in her characteristic, firm way, and then we walked away.

Later on, I asked my precious Lily if she felt hurt by what that man had said. Her response surprised me at first. "No," she said, "That sort of thing doesn't bother me. I know that you're my real mom," and then she gave me a hug.

But when I thought about her response later, I wasn't so surprised, because my sweet Lily

knows who she is.

Lily is a beloved daughter.

She is absolutely treasured.

She is accepted, cherished and greatly loved.

She knows that she takes my breath away.

She knows that there is nothing that she can do to lose David's and my love for her.

She is ours and we are hers.

Lily is so secure in who she is, that it caused me to ask myself,

"Do I know who I am, like that?"

When the world tells me I am not good enough, or that I am unwanted and unloved, does my heart respond with the truth?

Do I say, I am a beloved daughter!?

I am treasured, cherished, accepted and greatly loved.

Do I know that I take my Father's breath away?!

Am I aware that there is nothing that I can do to lose my Father's love?

I am His and He is mine.

Oh Father, it's true!

I am Your beloved daughter and there is nothing that anyone can do or say to change that. Let this fact grow deeper and deeper into my heart. Let it be my identity.

And dear friends, may it be your identity, as well!

May you know who you are in Christ...

a daughter/son of the King!

Absolutely beloved.

Thank you, Father, that is who we really and truly are!