God is faithful through adoption: Revd Emma Swarbrick
A journey into parenthood
The outset of my ordained life has looked quite different from most. A little over a year into curacy, I went on parental leave, having welcomed two children into my heart and my home forever.
This journey to adoption has been long and at times quite testing. What began as a niggling hope to be a parent grew into a call from God that I could not ignore. And God has been so faithful throughout. Things that at first seemed like an annoying blow, turned out to be a huge blessing. In the end, all the professionals surrounding these children are Christians—my social worker, their social worker, their foster carers and now their new mum. My eldest came with a beautiful faith and his prayers often leave me smiling and joyful at his blossoming relationship with Jesus. I love the way he tells God about all the things he has been up to during the day and lets God know just what is important to him.
Of course, times have been very hard too. Children are placed for adoption for a reason, and the trauma they bring with them serves as a regular reminder of my need for grace and in recognition of my own failings. The need for school and routine is strong, and I have needed to rely heavily on the practical support of my parents, so these current circumstances leave us in a vulnerable position. I’ll admit the prospect of the summer holidays was daunting, so to be forced onto our little patch of land with no sure end date is unsettling for all of us. Yet the sky is blue, we are blessed with a garden, and all this ‘togetherness’ will provide ample opportunity to bond and form stronger attachments. Just this week, as we played cricket in the garden, I was struck by the glorious normality of it and the glimpses of family that we are becoming. I thank God that, in the midst of hardship and sorrow, he is faithful and I can be assured that he will bring to fruition all that he has started.
–Revd Emma Swarbrick (Trinity 2018) is curate at Holy Trinity and St Peter’s in Blackpool.
If you are a member of the Trinity community, past or present, share a story of God’s faithfulness from your life, so we can encourage each other: comms@trinitycollegebristol.ac.uk.