Meet the McClelland Family!: Gregg & Kris McClelland, Ashley, Lindsay, Jaime, Tara, Benjamin & Timothy
The McClelland family was blended together with their four daughters and then they added two little boys from Russia (two separate adoptions). ?
Kris, what first tugged on your heart about the Fatherless?
Our adoption journey began with a family of six, parents nearing their 40s and content in the size of our family. God had different plans! We soon found ourselves pregnant! It was completely unexpected. This news came as a surprise and soon all of us were really excited about the prospect of adding to our family. At our first doctor appointment, the excitement soon turned into sadness as we found out we would soon miscarry. Looking back, I see this as God opening my heart to another child. Gregg and I decided to try to get pregnant again. This time, the miscarriage was even more difficult emotionally. BUT, God sent me another message. ?Add to your family, but not in this way.??
I had begun working with our church?s adoption ministry through the prayer chain about a year before this time. I had prayed for families adopting and fostering. I had welcomed children home at the airport. I had realized a Christian?s calling to care for the Fatherless. God was opening my heart to the possibility that adoption was for our family. I thought my husband would think I was insane so I began to pray that if He wanted us to pursue this, He would have to work in Gregg?s heart as well.?
Within weeks, Gregg walked in the door and with tears in his eyes, he said, ?I was listening to National Public Radio to a broadcast about Russian orphans and we need to do something.? When I asked what he was thinking. He said, ?Adopt.? I began to cry and told him this is what I had been petitioning God about for the past few weeks!?
This began our adoption journey to bring two little boys into our home!
Tell us one unique thing about your family/ministry.
We are a blended family. Parenting our four girls together has been a growing experience much like adoption, but in the stepfamily arena. We also are older adoptive parents, not feeling called to adopt until close to 40 years of age. Our calling has been international adoption, specifically from Russia.
What was one challenge either before, during or after your child(ren) came home?
One of the hardest things to deal with is the financial aspect of adoption, particularly international adoption. Our two adoptions together were close to $100,000 together. The idea of paying that kind of money within two years of each other is mind boggling. But God has been faithful and has provided just as we have needed assistance.
If you could tell a family that was considering adoption one bit of advice what would it be?Don?t? wait until?you have enough money?the right timing?your kids are the ?right age??better timing?.or whatever else you are waiting for. If God calls you to it, He will provide.
What verse was especially encouraging to you during your adoption journey?
Psalm 68:6? "God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."
Share one blessing that has happened because you said YES and followed God on this journey.
We have learned to depend on God more fully for all of our needs, even when they didn?t seem related to the adoption.
Thank you, McClelland Family, for sharing HOPE with us here at Reaching Hearts! ?Be sure to check out their blogs they kept to journal each of their adoption journeys. ?2012 Adoption. ?2010 Adoption. You can link up to this series by using the code below.
Be sure not to miss the rest of the "31 Families of HOPE" series:
Source: http://www.reachingheartsblog.com/2012/11/the-mcclelland-family-31-families-of.html
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