Wanted

Wanted

May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

MY DAUGHTER WAS FOUR YEARS OLD when she first asked me about her birth family. She knew she was adopted, but she was trying to figure out what that actually meant. We talked about her birth mom, and then after a moment of quiet, a question came, one we’d never discussed before.

“Why didn’t my other mommy want me?” she whispered.

I paused, unsure how to begin, but knowing that what I said next would matter. I could see my little girl’s fragile heart in that moment. I prayed and then explained how young her mom was, how she loved Jasmine so much she wanted to make sure she had parents who could care for her long term. And my words seemed to fall a little flat, even to my own ears. With my daughter’s eyes still on me, I sighed and whispered to her, “You have always been wanted.” She smiled. And then I held her, wondering if she’d ever fully know the depth of our love for her.

And even now, years later, she struggles at times with truly knowing that she is wanted. As she’s grown, we’ve been able to explain to her so much more about family history and trauma, addiction, and mental illness. We affirm that her life has purpose, that she is wanted by God. How much he loves her. This is the truth we are hoping will settle deep in her heart. She is wanted.

So many things can happen to us in life that can make us wonder if we are wanted. We can all experience times when our hearts cry out, Lord, am I wanted? Am I loved? And it’s in those moments that he gently reminds us that he does love us. Apart from where we came from, what we do, who we are, what titles we have or hats we wear. He wants us. Just as we are.

Dear Lord, I pray for those of us who have wondered if we were wanted. May we believe and experience your love for us in the depths of our hearts. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: How has God shown you that you are wanted by him?