Answered Prayers

By Cindy McDonald

Does God answer when you pray? Is there proof? 

The McDonalds had big decisions ahead of them.

How would they make the right ones? How would they parent a special needs child?

How would they parent a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder?

Through faith and prayer, God answered

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Oct 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890413055

Cindy McDonald

Eric and Cindy McDonald have three beautiful children, including their daughter, Leah. Cindy has been a biological mother, a grandmother, a foster mother, and an adoptive mother over the span of thirty-seven years.Cindy became a Christian when she was ten years old. She became an ordained minister in 2001. Prayer has always been of major importance in her life.

Book preview

Preface

I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

Matthew 28:20

As I begin writing this book, the year is 2006. It is October, and I am in an old log cabin in Colorado watching the snow fall outside. The utter peace that surrounds this place is a balm to my spirit.

I have been here many times over the past few years. Sometimes, I am alone, like now—sometimes with my husband Eric, sometimes with my mom and dad, but always with my daughter Leah.

I hope this book will be a message of hope and encouragement. I hope it will be a testimony to the grace of God. I want you to know that as you walk through the journey that God has appointed for you, you are never alone. He is always with you. Even when you feel lonely and frustrated, He is with you. When you call out in prayer, He will hear you. Our Lord tastes the salt of your tears. You will never walk alone, even through the Valley of the Shadow of Death: For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’ (Isaiah 41:13).

Acknowledgments

To my Savior, I will love You. I will praise You in good times, and I will praise you in the hard times. Thank You for giving me your grace, mercy, and everlasting love.

I want to thank my husband who has stood by me through all the laughter and tears. He held me up when I did not think I could go on. I will always love you with all my heart.

Thank you, my boys, for growing up to become godly young men in spite of my mistakes and blunders. Trust always in the Lord, and He will guide you. Wherever God takes you, I hope you know a piece of my heart goes with you. I will love you forever, unconditionally.

To our family, I am grateful that you have always loved me. You showed us the meaning of God’s grace and mercy.

To the Body of Christ, you did not know what we were walking through, but you prayed for us and encouraged us. You showed us the love of Christ and His hands and feet.

Thank you.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One: Finding Leah

Chapter Two: Home with Our New Baby

Chapter Three: Walking through Fire

Chapter Four: Coping

Chapter Five: Emotional Struggles

Chapter Six: Medical Intervention

Chapter Seven: Recovery and Rebuilding

Chapter Eight: The Healing Continues

Chapter Nine: What We Have Learned

Chapter Ten: Update

Introduction

Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.

Mark 9:37

Becoming a parent is perhaps the noblest calling a person can receive. While parenting is not for everyone, those who anticipate expanding their family with natural or adopted children find that the excitement of holding a little one in your arms can hardly be imagined and is one of the happiest moments they will ever experience.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to get married and have children. After coming of age, meeting my soul mate, and settling into married life, I could not wait to start our family, and expected that everything would run as smoothly as it had in my youthful dreams.

But life has a way of surprising you just when you think you’ve got it all figured out. We had two sons that grew into sturdy young boys. By the time that Luke was twelve and Logan was ten, in 1998, Eric and I had gotten involved in church, and our life seemed very full and rich.

Yet, there was a lingering emptiness that was hard to explain. I had always wanted three children: two boys and a girl. I had been praying for five years for God to give us a third child. The joy we found in raising our boys emphasized how much we would like to add a daughter to our family. But God did not seem to have a little girl in His plans for us, at least not in the way we anticipated. Due to significant problems with my reproductive organs, I was forced to have a hysterectomy.

Strangely, I remained calm while waiting in pre-op for my surgery. I had come to trust God so much that I knew He could give us another child, by supernatural means if necessary.

After the surgery, it seemed like I wanted to spend more time with the Lord. Eventually, through frequent Bible study and prayer, I began to comprehend how much God loves me, and all of His children. I became more content with accepting His will for my life, even if it meant letting go of my long-cherished dreams of having a daughter. Just at the time I began to realize that God was not going to give us another child physically, Eric suggested it was time to adopt.

Chapter One

Finding Leah

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Ephesians 1:5

When Eric and I shared our adoption plans with our sons, the boys were not quite sure what to think about a new sibling. Logan thought it was a joke at first. But neither boy seemed upset or reluctant about welcoming a little sister to our family. I was elated by the thought of bringing home a daughter to join our clan. It appeared that God was about to answer my prayers in His own unfathomable way.

I began