'God had other plans:' Green Camp family thankful for adoption

"God had other plans."

That's how Sarah and Jacob Gilliam described their journey to becoming adoptive parents. After opening their home to a young boy as foster parents, the Gilliams finalized the adoption of their son Chase in April of this year.

But their road to parenthood has been a long and winding one.

The Green Camp couple grew up in Marion County, began dating during their senior year in high school, were married about ten years later, and then began trying to have children.

"Shortly after we were married, we decided to have children," Sarah said. "We thought it would be something we could plan and it would come to fruition - and God had other plans. We tried for ten years to have children of our own. We had a miscarriage. I had an ectopic pregnancy. So we had some losses along the way."

Like many couples who have experienced problems becoming pregnant, the Gilliams sought out medical solutions, such as fertility treatment. However, all those efforts failed and the couple decided to take a step back and reassess their situation.

"It really got to the point where it was - make the decision. Is it time to stop?" Sarah said. "It had taken its physical and emotional toll on really both of us at that point. And so we decided that we were just not going to have children."

Fast forward a few years and what seemed to be just a random conversation with a friend and co-worker proved to be a new door opening for the Gilliams on their road to parenthood. Sarah said her friend is a former employee of Marion County Children Services and shared the story of an adoption that didn't work out.

"She told me the child had been adopted, but the adoptive parents started having their own children and he wasn't doing very well with the biological children, so they were looking to re-home him," Sarah explained. "I was like, 'How can this be?' And just through this conversation I came home and told Jacob the story and said, 'How can this be happening? These are children. They're not pets that you pick up from the shelter and then decide down the road that you don't want them anymore. I mean, they're children.'"

The account had a serious impact on both Sarah and Jacob, prompting Jacob to make a snap decision that was a complete reversal of his previous attitude towards adoption.

"He said, 'You go to work and tell her we'll take him,'" Sarah said. "I was like, what? Before when we had talked about adoption, which was something I had been open to early on, Jacob was unsure that he could love a child that wasn't his own. So I was very surprised by his comment and that's what got us on the path to adoption."

Jacob said the change of attitude toward adoption was a gift from God.

"Up to that day, I'd never felt like that was something I was open to," Jacob said. "While Sarah was telling me that story, a switch just flipped in my head and I told her to text her (friend) right now and if they can sign him over to us, we'll take that little boy. I think a lot of it had to do with us going to church more and more and me getting closer to God. I had opened that door for God to come in and touch my heart and make the change in my life."

The Gilliams obtained their license to become foster parents in 2020. A link in an email from Marion County Children Services led them to a listing of local children ages 11 to 17 who needed a "forever home."

"I believe that God sent that message for us to be able to find a child," Jacob said.

As a result of that experience, their representative with Marion County Children Services soon introduced them to Chase, who had been living with an older couple in Marion for three years prior to moving in with the Gilliams.

"Children Services was looking for that transition for him to be able to go into a permanent and forever home," Sarah said. "Once we said yes to move forward, the process went relatively quickly. Chase moved in in July 2021 and we adopted him in April of 2022."

Chase, now age 13, said he was excited and eager to become part of the Gilliam family in the summer of 2021. Jacob and Sarah both enjoy the outdoors with hunting and camping being some favorite activities and they are active members of their church.

"Coming into it, I was thinking, 'This is going to be awesome,'" he said. "They do a lot more things. When I lived with my other family, they were older and didn't do as much. So I thought it would awesome. We get to hunt and go to the (demolition) derby (at the Marion County Fair). When I first came in, the derby and the fair and camping was really fun, and I was getting to meet a lot of people. The first couple of weeks was tough, making the transition, but then it progressed to get better.

"Now it's a perfect fit. I just love being here and I'm glad I have an actual family that I can call my family."

Jacob said he's thankful for the change of heart and even more thankful to be Chase's father.

"I tell Chase all the time I couldn't love him any more than I do," Jacob said. "The very first day he came to live with us, I called him son. To want a son all your life and then to think you can't have a child and then God gives you one, it's such a blessing. We talk about it all the time as a family how we have plans and God changes them."

The Gilliams were presented with the National Adoption Awareness Month proclamation by the Marion County Commissioners during the Nov. 3 meeting to celebrate the completion of their adoption process.

Recently, the Gilliams welcomed another foster child into their home. They're not sure what the future holds for him yet, but they are certainly showering him with love while he is in their care.

According to 2021 annual report for Marion County Children Services, eight children in the agency's custody were adopted. Children Services provided post-adoptive services for 92 children and 52 families in Marion County in 2021.

The agency placed 103 children into foster care settings in 2021 and placed 178 children with family or friends.

For information about becoming a foster family or parent, contact Marion County Children Services at 740-389-2317, or visit the agency website www.marionkids.com.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 'God had other plans:' Green Camp family thankful for adoption