Thoughtful Thursday: Lydia's Gotcha Day

 Written by Mrs. Evan Hoover

Oftentimes, when working in the children’s ministry, there are children that make such an impact on your life, you walk away feeling as if they taught you more than you could have ever taught them.  During my family’s time stationed with the military in Johnstown, PA, we experienced this often. One of these children was a little girl named Lydia. She amazed me from the very first time I met her because she just brightened up the room and her story touched my heart from the very start.

Lydia was born in China and later adopted by a wonderful Christian family who taught her to love and to love God.  I never talked about her adoption in front of her because I thought it might be a sensitive issue for her.  One day, during our Sunday school lesson, she looked up at me and said “Mrs. Evan, did you see my cool present I got for my Gotcha day?”  I had no idea what she meant so I asked her to explain.  She quickly told me, with the brightest smile on her face, about how her family loved her so much that they came to China and got her.  And even though her mom in China loved, her she knew how much her family loved her. They always celebrated that day.  She even had traditional Chinese dresses she got to wear and to use.  In her words it was, “Kinda awesome having two birthdays”. 

Lydia realized that even though she was born into what could have been a bad circumstance, she had to dwell on the many blessings God had given her through everything.  She was an orphan who could have just been discarded, but through her family adopting her, God provided love and every need she had.

Even though you may not have been physically adopted, if you are a saved child of God and have put your faith in Jesus Christ alone, you are spiritually adopted into the family of God. Knowing this, as a Christian I want to express for God the same love and excitement that Lydia expressed for her family and adoption story.  I ask the question, why can we not love the way she did with such openness of our circumstance?  Why can we not celebrate our “Gotcha Days” with as much excitement?  

Shortly after we moved from Johnstown, Lydia tragically passed away in an accident.  I have since realized that I need to live as Lydia did!  I want her story to inspire others to share their adoption story and never forget this bright, hysterical, quick-witted little girl with an amazing heart for Jesus.

Romans 8:15 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”