God’s Deep Love and Detailed Care for Special Needs Families
Even before they met, God planted seeds in Molly and Justin’s hearts—a desire to adopt a child with a disability. This deep-rooted calling grew over years and came to fruition in 2014 when they adopted Zeke, a baby boy from China with ongoing needs related to his bilateral cleft palate.
With Zeke thriving, Molly and Justin prayed about adopting another child with special needs from China. And soon, God answered their prayers.
As Molly says, “He made it really clear that Isla was who we would be adopting.”
The adoption process went quickly and in 2017, Isla joined the family as Zeke’s beloved little sister. Soon after Isla came home, Molly and Justin learned that she has a life-threatening genetic condition called Jarcho-Levin syndrome. With fused ribs, lungs half the size they should be, and a compromised airway, doctors estimated that Isla would survive for two years at most.
“We were given zero options for Isla,” Molly and Justin recall. “From there we prayed. We just knew there was more for her—and that we’d need to fight for her.”
As Molly and Justin cried out for help, God led them to a medical team determined to provide hope for Isla’s future.
“The doctor we found was the creator of a device and procedure that can help Isla’s rib cage grow, giving her room to breathe,” says Justin, “And Isla needs this surgery twice a year.”
For years, Molly and Justin have poured themselves into their children’s complex needs. Every week they balance medical treatments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, all while providing a sense of safety and normalcy. For Isla, ongoing medical trauma has left scars of PTSD and intense anxiety, which are heightened by a sense of isolation.
“The continued trauma has been really hard,” says Molly. “Isla is in pain on a daily basis. And so just trying to function and do normal life is difficult.”
Molly and Justin longed to provide their children with joyful experiences, praying for opportunities to connect as a family outside the structure of their daily routines.
But because of Isla’s critical medical needs, as Molly says, “It feels like we’re living crisis to crisis.” Especially now, when few options remain to support Isla’s airway moving forward, getting away to enjoy family time seemed almost impossible.
Facing deep uncertainty about the future, Molly and Justin have asked God to help Zeke and Isla grasp onto Jesus and learn that, in all circumstances, strength and joy come from Him.
When Molly and Justin learned about Family Retreat from another special needs family, they spotted a glimmer of hope—for rest, connection, and a breath of fresh air for their family. In faith, they brought their excitement, exhaustion, anxiety, and fragility before the Lord, pulling up at their first Family Retreat in Oregon.
Tears flood Molly’s eyes as she recalls the warmth and love that welcomed them into the Joni and Friends community.
“Even though Isla’s anxiety comes with her wherever she goes,” says Molly, “she was so excited as we came in. It is something we have been praying for.”
Meeting Zeke and Isla’s buddies at Family Retreat, Molly and Justin saw God’s detailed care for their children’s needs. Zeke connected with his buddy immediately, eagerly jumping out of the car to play. And Isla got two buddies, both of whom are nurses well equipped to keep her safe while enjoying new experiences, from horseback riding to singing in the talent show.
“What felt so detailed and impossible to us, God made possible beyond our expectations,” says Molly. “And it gave us so much peace, which helped us to relax because we felt safe and secure.”
While Zeke had a blast swimming, playing games, and catching minnows with new friends, and Isla’s anxiety faded into joy, Molly and Justin got the rare opportunity to rest. For the first time, they felt understood, loved, and accepted for who they are and what their family is navigating.
“It has been a hard road lately,” Justin says. “We’ve been saying we need a little bit of heaven. And this has been a little bit of heaven. I wish I could bottle it up.”
“I think I’ve cried 500 times this week, tears of joy and thankfulness,” Molly reflected. “We won’t stop giving thanks for all those who make Family Retreat possible. We got the respite and rest that we needed so badly. It gives us renewed courage as we step into some really difficult days ahead.”
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