Following God’s Lead into Parenthood: Paul & Michelle’s Story

What does it look like to trust God with the story you thought would unfold differently? 

We sat down with Paul and Michelle to talk about their journey into parenthood through adoption. Paul, the Deerfoot Campus Operations Manager and his wife, Michelle, also lead our First 5/Next 5 couples’ group. In this conversation, they share what the waiting season looked like, how their faith shaped the process, and what it’s been like stepping into life as parents. 

FAC: Can you share a bit about how adoption became part of your story? 

Paul: Michelle and I have always wanted to be parents. We’d been praying for the day to become parents for 6 years. Although we’ve not yet been blessed with a biological child of our own, we opened our hearts to potentially adopting, knowing that there are many children out there without parents. 

Michelle: Paul comes from a family that opened their home to foster children, and his mom was also adopted when she was a child, so adoption was not a new concept for him.   

FAC: What did the waiting season look like for you as a couple?  

Paul: At the start, we didn’t know our journey would take us to adoption. From start to finish (being approved to be adoptive parents to being signed off as legal guardians) was about 2 years. It took about 10 months to be approved to adopt through Alberta Children’s Services (apparently, this was quicker than usual), 3 months until we were matched with our son, 2 months later we brought him home, and then another 9 months until we were granted an adoption order by a judge. 

There were moments we felt hopeful when we heard things were moving along, and other times we felt discouraged when we didn’t hear anything for a long time. For example, there is a mandatory 30-hour online training course for adoptive and foster families as part of the approval process. So, we hunkered down and got it done in one weekend, only to find out that our caseworker went on summer holidays for several weeks, leaving us totally hanging! We also had 3 different caseworkers working with us during that time, which was hard. Throughout the waiting process, we went to information sessions and were given resources about attachment and becoming adoptive parents to help us get ready. We learned a lot!   

FAC: How did your walk with Jesus shape your decision and sustain you through this adoption journey?  

 

Michelle: Sometimes there are hard parts in life when I truly wonder, how do people do it when they don’t know God? Difficult moments like losing a loved one, broken relationships, job loss, or, in this specific case, wanting and waiting to be parents. God has showed up for us in all these situations. It’s not pleasant to imagine where I’d be if I didn’t have Him carrying me through those awful times in my life. To say He sustains us is an understatement. 

We went into adoption knowing that every child in the system carries some level of trauma, regardless of how positive their foster care experience is. We were also mindful of the possibility of additional physical or mental health needs. We asked God to prepare and shape our hearts for the child we may be matched with. We prayed that He would prepare the child’s heart, too, for transitioning into our family. God was our go-to for peace! He provided us with a much-needed community that encouraged and prayed for us through the entire process, too.   

FAC: Were there moments where your faith was stretched or strengthened? Were there specific moments when you felt God’s presence or guidance? 

Michelle: I never questioned His hand in the process whatsoever. We were both hopeful that this was the direction God was taking us, and that He was the one who opened our hearts to the possibility of adopting. We even created a newsletter to keep friends and family updated on our journey and to ask for prayer! It gave us peace knowing we had many prayer warriors interceding for us, the process, and our potential kiddo. 

Paul: My patience during the waiting process was tested. I knew God had given me a heart to become a father (I love kids!). But there were times that I was just done with waiting and eager to be past it. We had no idea how long the process would take, and there was no guarantee of being matched with a child. Once I heard we were matched with Jaxson, I knew God had answered our prayers. 

 

FAC: Can you describe the moment you first met your son, or the moment it became real that you were parents?  

Michelle: It was super exciting to get the call that we were matched with Jaxson. There were 2 weeks of transitioning him between the foster home and us, which was honestly really difficult. At 2.5 years old, how could he understand what was happening? I was also surprised at how much I grieved the time Paul and I had as just husband and wife. As excited as I was to finally be a mom and have Jaxson as our son, it’s not something any adoptive or biological parents warned me about, nor had I anticipated that feeling.  

We brought Jaxson home on April 5, 2025, and the first thing we did was go to Costco (one of his favourite places, ha!). We still had many months of check-ins with our caseworker and checkboxes to tick off before we were granted the official paperwork as “parents” and could apply for his new birth certificate. Even though we were a family of 3 for nearly a year, a huge weight was lifted when that final step was complete. Getting the documents in the mail was slightly anticlimactic, but we definitely celebrated!   

FAC: When you look back, how do you see God’s faithfulness?  

Michelle: God really painted this story for us. We are a faithful family, and He turned us into a thankful family. All throughout this process and behind the scenes, He was working. Looking back, I realize that His plans were not only for becoming parents, but His hand was also over our careers and our finances. To this day, we still praise Him for the changes and mountains He moved to make this adoption possible. Sometimes, it’s surreal to think we are where we are now. But we take it one day at a time, and He provides what we need each day. 

FAC: What would you want others to know who are walking through adoption or waiting for a child? 

Michelle: There is no other peace like that from the Lord. It’s strange to me now that I wasn't more emotional through the years we spent unable to conceive, especially since I had spent so much of my life imagining what it would be like to have children. But I believe that God gave me peace. There’s no other way to explain it. He provided us with an incredible community of family and friends who journeyed with us, prayed for us, and celebrated with us. It was Mother’s Day last year when we got to dedicate Jaxson to the Lord, which was very meaningful to me as a new mom.   

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Jeremiah 29:11  

God has a plan. We don’t know what it is, but we know He’s got one. A plan for us, but better yet, a plan for our kiddo. Sure, we have hopes and dreams for him, but what’s more exciting is to think of the plans God has for him. Despite a not-so-typical start in life, this is just the beginning of his story!   

It’s also good to remember that other adoptive families are your best resource on the adoption journey. (We recommend: Confessions of an Adoptive Parent by Mike Berry) Parenthood is humbling. Jumping into parenthood from 0 kids to a toddler is beyond explanation ... I’m sure you could see it in our weary faces! 

Paul: Michelle and I are honoured to lead a group in FAC’s Couples’ Ministry for those married less than 10 years. Through twice-monthly gatherings, our goal is to create a space where couples can truly walk through life together and build healthy, Jesus-centred marriage foundations with others in the same season. We’ve been grateful to have made wonderful friends through this group, and we all get to walk our similar but different journeys (like parenting) together! 

Thank you, Paul and Michelle, for sharing your story!

Parenthood and family life can take many different forms, and wherever you find yourself, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Jesus meets us in every season and invites you to trust Him with your story. 

We’re here to help! For parenting resources and relationship support through FAC, please contact us.