Laura Jones wanted a child for as long as she could remember. After marrying the love of her life in July of 1988 and establishing their home together, Laura and her husband Mark prepared their lives for the patter of little feet.

Sadly, over the next 10 years and despite fertility treatments, Laura and Mark were unsuccessful in their attempts to get pregnant.

“It’s a sad thing because you are dying on the inside,” Jones said. “You see all of these other people having babies and you are trying your best to be happy for them, but you are suffering with a silent pain.”

Jones said that after a decade of trying to conceive, she finally came to peace with the fact that she and her husband would never have a child.

“I had been praying about it and reflected on the Bible verse Philippians 4:12,” Jones said. “I began counting my blessings: I had a wonderful husband and family, a new house and a good job. Everything in my life was wonderful, except I didn’t have a child. I told myself that I’m not going to be unhappy over this one thing. I settled it.”

But little did Laura and Mark know that God was going to give them the desire of their heart in the most unexpected way.

On a routine trip to the grocery store, Laura ran into a friend who served as a foster parent. She asked her friend about a little girl she had once taught in Sunday School who she knew to be in the foster care program. The friend explained that this little girl was still in the program, and in desperate need of a family.

Instantly, Jones knew what she had to do.

“I had this thought that I may not be able to give every child a home, but I can give this child a home,” she said. “I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mark.”

Mark recalls his uncharacteristic response to the news.

“I have always been the hesitant type,” he said. “I like to think things through and think about things before I give an answer. But I instantly said yes!”

Immediately, Mark and Laura started the adoption process. They scheduled visits, completed documents, and attended all required classes through the foster care program.

On June 26, 2010, Mark and Laura Jones received the answer to their prayers and adopted their daughter, Josie.

They were excited be a family, but building their new family structure was not going to be an easy task.

“She [Josie] was so broken and so angry, and rightfully so,” Jones said. “She could not trust anybody and had no security. She also had had so many ‘Why?’ questions.

“She loved to write, so I bought her a journal that had the Serenity prayer on it. I told her that there are some things that you will never know why they happened and you will just have to accept it and trust that it will all work out. And she really embraced that prayer.”

Though there have been bumps along the way, and their family is still a work in progress, Mark and Laura are so grateful for the gift of their precious daughter.

“Growing up, most girls dream of a wedding, but I always dreamed of a baby dedication,” Laura said. “I would listen to the song “Masterpiece” by Sandi Patti and knew I wanted my sister to sing it at my baby dedication. Although Josie was older, Mark and I decided that we wanted to dedicate her and give her back to the Lord and have His hand on her life.

“I had never told anyone about the song, but on the day of Josie’s dedication, a lady stood up and said she felt led by the Lord to sing a song. And the song she began to sing was ‘Masterpiece.’

“I had never felt God’s presence so strongly than in that moment. I knew then that God had His hand in this, and I felt God’s approval. I knew that Josie was our masterpiece.”

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12

Chanel Bingham is a freelance writer, blogger and public speaker. She resides in Thorsby with her husband and four children. You can visit Chanel at www.thepolishedcanvas.com or on Facebook at “The Polished Canvas.” Her column publishes each week.