God Writes Unexpected Stories
Sometimes God writes stories in ways we would never expect—through pain, uncertainty, and moments that don’t make sense at the time. This is one of those stories.
Accidental Phone Call?
The phone call that forever changed our lives came on December 13, 2023. That evening, I was meeting with several ladies from church, when I saw a call from a friend. I assumed it was accidental since we hadn’t spoken in over a year, so I let it go to voicemail and continued meeting.
That night, I shared with the women about the sadness I felt as my husband and I had been unable to have children due to complications from past trauma. After we met, I listened to the voicemail, stunned by what I heard. My friend explained that a little girl likely needed to be adopted and asked if we were interested. Chills ran through me as I thought, “Could this be our daughter?”
I drove home, and my husband and I called him together. He spoke of a little girl named Yuye and her birth mother, Yalan. They had come to the U.S. from China in June 2023. Yalan had terminal cancer and was seeking a family for Yuye so she wouldn’t end up in an orphanage. A medical team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was treating her, giving her six months to a year to live.
Yalan and Yuye
Our friend connected us with a pastor who had been helping them. We met the pastor to hear more about the situation, and he asked if we’d like to accompany his family to Sioux Falls in a few days to meet Yuye and Yalan and we agreed.
I was nervous as we drove to Sioux Falls. When we arrived, we soon met Yuye and Yalan, and used the pastor as a translator. We asked questions and shared back and forth. At the end of the night, Yalan told us she liked us and wanted us to be Yuye’s parents if the need arose.
In January, we started traveling to Sioux Falls on weekends to visit Yalan and Yuye. Yuye connected well with us, playing and speaking to us in Chinese. Still, as months passed, Joel and I questioned whether we should continue forward with this possibility. There were unique challenges that left us unsure. Many mornings, I woke early to pray, asking God for clear direction.
Guidance Given
In March, Yalan’s health declined further, and she directly asked us to begin legal paperwork so we could be prepared to adopt Yuye. Her clarity was what we needed. We obtained the necessary documents and returned to Sioux Falls the following weekend, where she signed the documents.
In April, during a visit, Yalan unexpectedly stated it was time for Yuye to move in with us. We were shocked—she had not been open to this before. I could hardly believe the translated message saying she wanted Yuye to come home with us and start school right away, beginning the following weekend. We felt honored and terrified. The week passed quickly, and soon we were driving back to Sioux Falls, knowing we would return with a four-year-old.
Grace and Sorrow
The transition for Yuye to our home and to a new school went as smoothly as we could have hoped. She spoke with Yalan regularly through video calls, and we visited Yalan about every other weekend.
In early May, doctors in Sioux Falls were out of treatment options for Yalan, so she decided to secure an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. On May 24, she met with Mayo, but they determined they could not treat her cancer. Due to its severity, they admitted her and she remained there for several months.
We visited her often until she passed away on July 11, 2024.
Her death was deeply painful and Yuye continues to grieve, as we know she will for years to come. We are grateful we can share with her how much her mother loved her and that she chose us.
As I’ve reflected on all that happened, I’ve asked myself how I saw God and what I’ve learned.
God’s Higher Ways
First, I’ve seen how God can use pain for good and purpose. It has been quite painful not being able to have children, yet, I wonder if we would have Yuye if that had been different. Looking back, I see how God prepared us for that phone call and everything that followed. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good for those who love God.”
Second, I’ve learned that God loves deeply and pursues intentionally. I’ve wrestled with guilt, knowing that someone died for me to have this child. It’s challenging that Yalan passed away, but I saw God pursue Yalan. He provided medical care, housing, a family for Yuye, and people who shared the Gospel with Yalan in her own language—even in her final weeks.
Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Finally, I’ve learned that God is in control and the true source of peace. What I’ve shared is only part of the journey. There were stressful, confusing moments that caused us to question what the Lord was truly calling us to. Some challenges felt like distractions pulling our focus away from God. In the midst of anxiety, only the Lord gave peace. As John 14:27 says, “My peace I leave with you; my peace I give you... Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
I am grateful for a God who is in control, who hears us, and who faithfully meets our needs. I could not have prepared for all that has happened these past years, but I can clearly see how God has worked and provided through every twist and turn. I trust that He will continue to walk with us in the years ahead, because even when we cannot see the full picture, He is still writing a story that is good, purposeful, and far greater than we could have imagined.
“…You did awesome things that we did not look for…” (Isaiah 64:3).