Eleven years ago, the associate pastor from my church and his wife adopted a little girl. This little girl was born with so many health problems that she lived in the hospital for her first three months. Due to her health problems her single mother gave her to the state, because she wasn't able to take care of her 24/7 needs or pay for her health care. She then moved to the Bethany Children's Convalescent home for the kids that had too great of medical problems to be cared for at home. The very same day that little Cherokee moved to Children's, DeVonna started working in the Children's Convalescent Home business office. Three days passed before DeVonna met Cherokee. When she did, she started falling in love. After a year or more, the pursued becoming foster parents... and this led to Cherokee's eventual adoption.
The first time DeVonna's husband Doug met Cherokee he saw the look on her face, and on the face of his wife. Just seeing the connection... He knew Cherokee would become his daughter. The thought of it terrified him. Rightfully so. He told God that he just can't do it... its going to be too difficult. She lives on a ventilator at night, flow-by oxygen during the day, and needs complete care 24/7, she is limited physically and mentally, this was going to be a huge challenge. He was sitting in his car, and felt like there was a mountain upon him. At that moment, Doug describes a "lighting bolt" that came down and hit him. It came in the form of a verse. Words spoken by Jesus, Matt 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." God had asked him to be Cherokee's father.
Their life, from my perspective, seemed extremely difficult. They had volunteer nurses helping with great frequency. They lost sleep. They lost freedom. They lost time as a couple. They lost time as individuals. Doug used to play golf and work on cars... All of that stopped. They battled exhaustion and depression. I personally thought they had made a mistake.
At the age of 8, cherokee had been living at their house now for a few years and began having problems. She was found to have brain cancer. Multiple lesions some near the brain stem. This little angle whom was called a "heart thief" as she stole everyone's heart, was not dismayed. She continued to smile and love her mommy and daddy with the purest of heart. Cherokee comforted them when she underwent multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. She never stopped loving life, or God. She had the simple faith of a child as she was... she didn't try to wrestle with "Why me?" questions... she didn't blame her heavenly father. She just prayed and continued loving her mommy and daddy.
She beat the odds and the brain cancer was in remission. But 6 short years later she developed a bone cancer. The process repeated, but it left her body weak. Due to all of the chemotherapy and a chronic digestive system problem she never grew much taller than four feet. Due to the chronic illness and developmental delays, she was always a little different than a "normal" 14 year old girl. While most would see this as tragic, I believe the "heart" that developed through all of this was far more beautiful than your average 14 year old.
At the age of sixteen, she left this world behind... passing in her daddy's arms only to be received to the arms of a heavenly father... with a new body. Doug and DeVonna are now left with an empty house... full of blessed memories.
While I still can look back on their lives and see all of the personal devastation... loss of all those comforts, mental/emotional peace, hobbies, leisure time, relaxation, vacations, etc.... all of those things I cherish and look forward to in life disappeared for them. But with all of the stress, diseases, medical treatments, medical equipment, and loss of freedom... they gained a love that was pure and true. I am confident they do not consider their decision to adopt Cherokee a mistake. I no longer consider it a mistake either.
In life, it seems most people's lives do not have significant callings. God's will seems to be wide open for people to choose their profession, home, spouse, etc.... But for others, God seems to have a very specific mission. For Doug and DeVonna, their mission was to love a little girl who had a giant heart... and needed strong parents... parents with a large support network of other believers to help them along in this difficult mission. God gave them everything they needed. Little Cherokee experienced truly great love... a love she never would have known if Doug said "no" when he felt that mountain upon his shoulders, when God asked him to become a dad.
David.
The first time DeVonna's husband Doug met Cherokee he saw the look on her face, and on the face of his wife. Just seeing the connection... He knew Cherokee would become his daughter. The thought of it terrified him. Rightfully so. He told God that he just can't do it... its going to be too difficult. She lives on a ventilator at night, flow-by oxygen during the day, and needs complete care 24/7, she is limited physically and mentally, this was going to be a huge challenge. He was sitting in his car, and felt like there was a mountain upon him. At that moment, Doug describes a "lighting bolt" that came down and hit him. It came in the form of a verse. Words spoken by Jesus, Matt 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." God had asked him to be Cherokee's father.
Their life, from my perspective, seemed extremely difficult. They had volunteer nurses helping with great frequency. They lost sleep. They lost freedom. They lost time as a couple. They lost time as individuals. Doug used to play golf and work on cars... All of that stopped. They battled exhaustion and depression. I personally thought they had made a mistake.
At the age of 8, cherokee had been living at their house now for a few years and began having problems. She was found to have brain cancer. Multiple lesions some near the brain stem. This little angle whom was called a "heart thief" as she stole everyone's heart, was not dismayed. She continued to smile and love her mommy and daddy with the purest of heart. Cherokee comforted them when she underwent multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. She never stopped loving life, or God. She had the simple faith of a child as she was... she didn't try to wrestle with "Why me?" questions... she didn't blame her heavenly father. She just prayed and continued loving her mommy and daddy.
She beat the odds and the brain cancer was in remission. But 6 short years later she developed a bone cancer. The process repeated, but it left her body weak. Due to all of the chemotherapy and a chronic digestive system problem she never grew much taller than four feet. Due to the chronic illness and developmental delays, she was always a little different than a "normal" 14 year old girl. While most would see this as tragic, I believe the "heart" that developed through all of this was far more beautiful than your average 14 year old.
At the age of sixteen, she left this world behind... passing in her daddy's arms only to be received to the arms of a heavenly father... with a new body. Doug and DeVonna are now left with an empty house... full of blessed memories.
While I still can look back on their lives and see all of the personal devastation... loss of all those comforts, mental/emotional peace, hobbies, leisure time, relaxation, vacations, etc.... all of those things I cherish and look forward to in life disappeared for them. But with all of the stress, diseases, medical treatments, medical equipment, and loss of freedom... they gained a love that was pure and true. I am confident they do not consider their decision to adopt Cherokee a mistake. I no longer consider it a mistake either.
In life, it seems most people's lives do not have significant callings. God's will seems to be wide open for people to choose their profession, home, spouse, etc.... But for others, God seems to have a very specific mission. For Doug and DeVonna, their mission was to love a little girl who had a giant heart... and needed strong parents... parents with a large support network of other believers to help them along in this difficult mission. God gave them everything they needed. Little Cherokee experienced truly great love... a love she never would have known if Doug said "no" when he felt that mountain upon his shoulders, when God asked him to become a dad.
David.
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