My Brother

I was thinking a lot about my brother today. While millions of people are out celebrating halloween, my family has a different reason to celebrate. 21 years ago today, my brother Russ was adopted into our family.
His is an interesting story. It would take forever for me to write it down, but I can try and make a long story short.
22 years ago, a young woman tried 4 times to have her baby aborted. 4 times something or someone stood in her way. God intervened each time she attempted to end her child's life. This child was my brother.
Russ came to live with us along with his biological mother and sisters. His birth mother realized that she couldn't handle a third child, and asked if my parents would consider adopting Russ. After much prayer and talking with my 2 other sibling and myself, they said that they would love to keep him.
Over the years, Russ developed a love and a wonderful talent for music, particularly singing. We always knew when he was nearby, because we could hear him singing at the top of his lungs. (That hasn't changed over the years!) His favorite songs to sing used to be those written by Keith Green. Now he writes his own songs.
Russ always knew he was adopted. He knew that he was supposed to have been aborted and that God spared his life. He was always willing to share his testimony with anyone that wanted to listen. He knew that God had a special calling on his life. He eventually even learned who gave him birth. This information didn't change his feeling about our parents. They were his parents - no one else. It didn't matter who gave birth to him, what mattered was the love that my family gave to him. WE were his family.
Russ' story is such a perfect picture of how we are adopted into God's family. It doesn't matter who was a part of our past, once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He is our family. He is our Father and we are His children.
I thank God that my parents said yes to that young woman who wanted them to raise her baby. Russ is a special part of our family and I have no doubt that God is going to use him greatly to further His kingdom.