Soul Path Insights

What would you do if everything you thought you knew about yourself was shattered in an instant? I was fourteen when my entire identity was questioned with one sentence. In the middle of an argument, my sister blurted out, “Do you even want to know who you really are?”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. For years, my friends had asked me if I was adopted. I looked different from my sisters, and deep down, I had always wondered. I had even asked my parents who I resembled. My father always gave the same convenient answer: “You got your features from your grandparents.” But both my maternal and paternal grandparents had passed away long before I was born. There were no photos of them, nothing to compare myself to. I never had any reason to question his answer—until that moment.

Confusion washed over me. What did my sister mean? Why would she say that? My heart raced, and without thinking, I ran straight to my mom. “What does she mean? What is she talking about?” I asked, panic in my voice. My mom hesitated, telling me not to listen to my sister, but the look in her eyes told me there was more. I pressed her until she finally sat me down.

“No matter what, you’ll always be mine,” she said. Her words were meant to comfort, but they revealed a truth I wasn’t ready for. That’s when it hit me: I was adopted.

I didn’t know what to think. My mind raced with a flood of questions. If I’m not really part of this family, then who am I? It felt like my whole identity was unraveling. I wasn’t thinking about faith or purpose—just about how everything I thought I knew seemed to slip away in a matter of moments.

The first thing I did after that revelation was run to my best friends. “You were right. I’m adopted,” I said. For years, they had told me I looked different from my sisters, but I had always brushed it off. Now, I had to admit it. The truth was out, and I confirmed it with them.

We talked for hours. They asked me so many questions, but talking it through with them helped me process what had just happened. After some time, I began to realize something important. This wasn’t something to be upset about. My parents didn’t just have me—they chose me. My friends helped me see that I wasn’t “less” because I was adopted—if anything, I was special because my parents chose me.

That realization brought me peace. No, my childhood wasn’t a lie. Being part of this family wasn’t a lie either. It was simply a different story—one where I was chosen and loved. My mom even showed me something she had kept from when I was a baby, something that reminded me how much I belonged to her. She didn’t have to adopt me, but she did—and that choice made me feel incredibly loved.

I later found comfort in Romans 8:15: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” That verse reminded me that just as God adopts us into His family, my parents had adopted me into theirs.

Another quote that stuck with me as I grew older was: “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” It was that respect, joy, and intentional love that made my family real—not the blood ties.

Soul Insights

1. Family is more than biology; it’s about who loves you, chooses you, and stands by you. Blood alone doesn’t define the depth of family. It’s the people who choose to stand by you, offering love and support, who truly shape what family means. My experience with adoption taught me that love is what binds us together, not genetics.
2. The revelation of being adopted can bring questions, but it also opens the door to understanding what truly matters: love. Initially, I felt lost and questioned everything I knew about my identity. But through the process, I learned that love is the most important foundation of family. Being adopted reminded me that my family chose me, and that choice was an act of pure love.
3. Being chosen by someone who didn’t have to choose you is a powerful reminder of your worth and purpose. Adoption is an act of intentional love. My parents didn’t have to choose me, but they did. Knowing that gave me a sense of worth and purpose. It reminded me that I was wanted and valued, not just by my family, but by life itself. It’s a beautiful thing to be chosen.
4. When things don’t make sense, trust that your story is being written with intention, even if you don’t see the full picture yet. Life is filled with moments that don’t make sense at first, like discovering I was adopted. But over time, I’ve realized that my story was being written with intention. Just like God adopts us into His family, there’s always a larger plan at work, even when we can’t see the full picture.
5. Embrace your unique story—it’s what makes you who you are, and it’s worth celebrating. Every person’s story is different, and being adopted is part of what makes mine unique. Rather than seeing it as something that sets me apart in a negative way, I now embrace it as a special part of my journey. As I grew older, I learned that my story is worth celebrating because it’s the story that brought me to where I am today.

Final Thoughts

The journey to discovering that I was adopted wasn’t easy, but it gave me a deeper understanding of what family truly is. Family is about love, choice, and commitment, not just shared DNA. I know that I was chosen, and that gives me a sense of belonging that runs deeper than I ever imagined. As it says in Ephesians 1:5: “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Adoption isn’t just a fact in my life—it’s a reminder that love and choice define who we are.

“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are,” is another quote I found that encapsulates my experience. I’m thankful every day for being chosen, for being wanted, and for finding my true sense of family.

© 2024 Amelie Chambord