The Testimony of
Patrick & Mary Ann Mulvehill
Regarding Our Decision to Adopt
Since the moment that I was saved, there has been one over riding desire in my heart, to please my Lord. Even at the age of fifteen, I was so grateful for what Jesus had done for me that I wanted to give Him all that I had in return. The older that I grow as a Christian the more I realize just how impossible it is to pay back the debt that Jesus paid for me. So instead of being motivated by the insurmountable debt I owed, I find myself motivated by the ensuing love for the One who paid that debt. It was this motivation that has caused me to want every area of my life to glorify the Lord and magnify His Name.
One of the most important areas that this motivation effected was my desire to marry and have a family. I knew that God had someone perfect for me, but would I trust Him to bring about His perfect plan? Society told me to strike out on my own, to date around until the right one came along. Besides, “How could I know the right one unless I had dated the wrong one.†But deep inside, I knew that wasn’t the way. Somehow I knew that God’s ways weren’t my ways and that He had the power to bring the right women into my life, at the right time, in the right way, if I would only trust Him. And you know what, He did.
There was another door in my life that the Lord knocked on about that same time. I knew that once I was married, the natural course of events to follow was that of children. I knew that the Bible taught that, “…children are an heritage of the Lord…,†so I knew the Lord wanted me to have children, but how many? Society said, “2.5†was a good size family. How you came across the .5 was a bit of a mystery, but it sounded good. Then the Lord lead me to scriptures like Psalm 127:3-5 which says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:…,†but it went on, “…and the fruit of the womb is his reward. [4] As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. [5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.â€
The Hebrew word “Happy†or “Blessed†appears 46 times in the Old Testament. It appears in conjunction with promises like…
“Behold, blessed is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty” (Job 5:17)
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1-2)
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12)
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8)
“Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust” (Psalm 40:4)
“Blessed is he that considereth the poor” (Psalm 41:1)
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee” (Psalm 84:4-5)
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee” (Psalm 84:12)
“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalm 89:15)
“Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law;” (Psalm 94:12)
“Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments” (Psalm 112:1)
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” (Psalm 119:1-2)
“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord;Â that walketh in his ways.” (Psalm 128:1)
“Blessed is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15)
“Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help” (Psalm 146:5)
“Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom” (Proverbs 3:13)
“Blessed are they that keep my ways.” (Proverbs 8:32)
And then this promise, “Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.†It seemed that God viewed children much differently than society did. To be grouped with such significant promises seemed to give added importance to the thought of children. God said, “Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them.†A “quiver full,†what did that mean? Upon further study I learned that warriors in Bible times didn’t go into battle without at least 24 arrows in their quivers. Boy, did that shed a new light on things. Was I willing to trust God with this area of my life too? Was the price that He paid worth it? It didn’t take long to answer that question. Yes! I would trust God with this area as well!
Naturally, I prepared myself for a dozen or so, not remembering that God’s ways are not always mine. Now, after almost eight years of marriage, Mary Ann and I have no children. We were both prepared for God to begin our family right away, but were not prepared for Him to with hold that blessing. In fact, it took us both several years to come to the place where we could truly accept that God was still in control. We just had to trust His heart and wait.
About 10 months ago our waiting came to an end. A little girl came bouncing into our lives and along with her came the tremendous testimony that Tonya has shared with you, and the direction that we had been seeking. Mary Ann and I had considered adoption in the past, but it wasn’t until we met Kaleigh that God calmed our fears and confirmed His will for us. Now we know that God wants to begin our family in the same way that He began His. By reaching out to a foreign land, by sacrificing our resources, and opening our hearts to children who have no hope of a family. We know that God has asked us to become a “forever family†to some special children that He has chosen for us.
It is our desire today, to share with you, our church family, the calling that God has laid on our lives, to open our home and our hearts to those children that He has already chosen for us. We know that God’s timing is perfect and that He does not order what He does not provide for. This calling will be a tremendous challenge for us. It will require a great deal of faith. It will be an emotional time for us. It will require a great deal of financial commitment. But we believe that it is the will of God for us, and will continue to seek His face as He guides us through.
Please pray for us. Pray for the children of Kazakhstan. Pray for the children around the world that are longing to be apart of a forever family. We promise to keep you updated as the process goes along, and we know that God will get the Glory for what happens.
