As I mentioned yesterday, I read this book again as an adoptive parent of traumatized children looking for insight. I’d like to share an excerpt with you that reminded me of the emptiness that some of my adopted children experience. My children who were traumatized before their adoptions into our family. Believing that there is a higher authority can help our traumatized adopted children begin to heal. It is funny how a story can have a different meaning to us depending where we are in life at the time we hear or read the story. In chapter four, the shepherd is explaining the emptiness or thirst of the human soul. This chapter is based on part of verse two of Psalm 23, “He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

“Now, just as the physical body has a capacity and need for water, so Scripture points out to us clearly that the human personality, the human soul has a capacity and need for the water of the Spirit of the eternal God.”
When sheep are thirsty they become restless and set out in search of water to satisfy their thirst…
And in precisely the same manner Christ, our Good Shepherd, made it clear that thirsty souls of men and women can only be fully satisfied when their capacity and thirst for spiritual life is fully quenched by drawing on Himself.”

Our children, especially as they reach those difficult teenage years, are searching for something to make them happy. We know that if children do not receive love and approval at home, they will seek it out from others. Our adopted children who were traumatized may have a particularly difficult time during these teen years. Things that happened in their past can have a completely new meaning to them as they are maturing sexually. They may also seek better answers from their birth family members at this time.

Although we, adoptive parents, were not the cause of their pain or trauma, we need to find a way to help them understand the feelings they are experiencing. We need to point them in the right direction to fill their emptiness. We also need to help them understand real love and forgiveness.

Keller, in his sheepish way, goes on to explain in this same chapter how some unfortunates try to fill their thirst in the wrong way.

“Their inner spiritual capacity for God and divine life is desiccated and in their dilemma they will drink from any dirty pool to try and satisfy their thirst for fulfillment.”

In the same way, if we don’t offer our traumatized children unconditional love and acceptance they will drink from any dirty pool to try to satisfy themselves. Hopefully, we can point them to the Bible, their church family, and their loving adoptive family for fulfillment.

Photo Credit Julia Fuller 2008
a shepherd looks at PSALM 23 by Phillip Keller
Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1970