One Lifetime, One Life at a Time
I met Angie Webber several years ago when she facilitated a paint night for our church women’s ministry. Through subsequent conversations with her, she related her story of becoming a foster parent and her journey toward adoption. I’m happy to share her story on my blog this month.
The Lord said, And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee … Live; yea, I said unto thee…Live. Ezekiel 16:6
I can hardly read this verse without tears welling up in me. Before my first birthday, my biological mother left my dad for the last time.
He sent an amazing woman to be my true mother—a courageous, meek, and kind woman to nurture me with unconditional love and grace. In a time when marrying a man after a divorce was not acceptable, she stepped out in faith to follow God. She stood in the gap many times in my life when hurt and disappointment threatened to destroy me.
My bio mother had really hurt my father, and he was angry and bitter. While I have no memory of my mother, I remember the path of destruction she left behind.
But my mom … the memories of her overflow in my cup with love, joy, and peace. The Light of God shined through her and turned our darkness into light.
No other person influenced me more than my mom. She is my hero, the woman to this day I strive to emulate. Her amazing gift of love changed the direction of a very broken family forever.
Adoption Part One
We are all adopted into the family of God. We are redeemed, bought by a God who loved us and wanted to ensure we could never be taken from Him.
Like God, my amazing mom decided to adopt us so we would always be hers. Her act of adoption greatly impacted my life because I had the security that my mom would always be there. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to, just as God had done for her.
Over the years, our family’s openness about this part of my story helped me see God’s hand in my life for as long as I can remember.
Abortion
Even though my parents loved me, my childhood wasn’t easy.
Well he showed up. He was willing to call me his, and I was willing to say yes to whatever he asked in order to keep him. And that yes led to a broken heart that would last a lifetime.
As a young woman who didn’t know the battlefield, it was hard to win the war. Sex was not a big topic around the table or in the church. In my seventeen-year-old mind, I never dreamed I would face this choice.
When I found out the person I trusted wasn’t who I thought, I was left to reap the harvest of my sin. Clarity of thought left quickly.
There is nothing I regret more in my life than the nineteen-week abortion I agreed to in the summer of 1986.
A part of my spirit was ripped from me and left such a huge hole that, to this day, weeps like the blood from Christ’s pierced side on the cross.
CLICK TO TWEET: The realization that I took a life is often heavier than I can bear.
The grief of this action makes it difficult to breathe. It’s an emotional pain that hurts more than any broken bone or physical pain can erase. I don’t even know if I have a girl or boy, they wouldn’t tell me.
Hope that His grace is sufficient for me. While it doesn’t always feel so, I must never land on how I feel, but remember what I know to be true.
I know whom I hath believed and am persuaded that he is able until that day.
I often picture in my mind that at the moment my child died, Christ stood in heaven to receive him or her, His arms wide open. My heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness that in my failure, He stood in the gap and rescued my child.
At the time of my death, after seeing my Savior, I want nothing more than to meet my child and tell them how sorry I am and that I truly did love them with all my heart.
Sometimes I feel like the sheep the Shepherd had to keep going out to find. Often when a sheep wouldn’t stay with the fold, the shepherd would break its leg so it couldn’t wander off.
My Shepherd, my God, had to break me to keep me from wandering off.
This part of my story keeps me close to my Savior and I am in His debt forever. I am so thankful He, and not my enemy, holds my heart. My hope is completely and utterly in Him.
Don’t miss Part Two of Angie’s story next week as she shares more about adoption, a medical crisis, and her battle with depression.
Join the conversation. Has your life, or that of someone you know, been blessed through adoption? How has Jesus been a loving Shepherd in your life?
Ms. Angie is a Christian woman navigating her way to eternity in a broken world. She is a daughter, wife, mother, friend, and actor. All these titles have so many different meanings, yet they’re all apart of God’s story for her life. She has parents who love her dearly, a husband to whom she’s been married since 1987, two amazing sons and daughters-in-law, a precious adopted princess, and the most charming grandson. Angie recently followed her dream and began a new adventure in acting. Her prayer is that her journey will encourage you through yours.
Connect with Angie:
Deena Adams
As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and is a multi-award-winning writer, an active ACFW member, and ACFW Virginia president. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
17 Comments
Lynn Moore
Angie……thank you for sharing your heart. God is using your story for “your” good and for “His” glory! 🌺
Deena Adams
Thank you for reading and joining the conversation, Lynn!
Angie Kay
Thank you for your encouragement. It means a lot to me on this journey.
Audra Sanlyn
Angie,
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Abortion and adoption are topics very close to my heart and reading about your experience is a beautiful reminder of what God can do with even the most difficult decision. I have no doubt God received your child with open arms and you will meet them one day.
Deena Adams
Thanks for reading and joining the conversation. Abortion and adoption are such important issues for us to talk about and I’m so glad God is using you through your writing.
Angie Kay
God has been ever so merciful to me over the past 30 years. I know that my story is His story for me, and not the story I would have chosen for myself. I am trusting him throughout my journey.
Angie Kay
Thank you, you did an amazing job expressing my heart in all ways. 🙏
Deena Adams
I’m honored to share your story Angie! Thanks for opening your heart to help others find hope in Jesus.
Davd
Thank you for letting me in on your story!
Deena Adams
Hi David! Thanks so much for reading.
Angie Kay
Thank you for reading David, it has taken a lot of courage for me to share.
Traci
Next Wednesday cannot come soon enough! It was a challenging and difficult story, but also one filled with hope. Thank you for sharing.
Deena Adams
Thanks for reading, Traci! Angie has poured out her heart into this story and I’m honored to share it and thank God He’s using it already to bless people.
Angie Kay
Deena Did an amazing job putting together parts of the story that I shared. I am so thankful for her vision to see my story in such an amazing light of hurt and hope side by side.
Deena Adams
Thanks for reading, Teresa! I’m excited for you to hear the rest of Angie’s story. If you’re interested in following her journey, you can check out her website and follow her. She’s just getting it up and running.
Teresa Moyer
I can’t wait for the rest of your story.
Angie Kay
Hi Teresa, I can’t wait for the rest of my story too. lol
Gods’ plan for my life has been quite the ride, and I often think at the end of every day that its a TBC.